'UK COVID-19 variant spreading in Pakistan's big cities'

ISLAMABAD: The UK variant of COVID-19 is spreading in the country’s big cities, Parliamentary Secretary of National Health Services Dr Nausheen Hamid said on Monday.

Speaking during ARY News’ morning programme Bakhabar Savera, she said the positivity ratio of coronavirus cases has doubled over the past few weeks. She stressed that the people will have to adhere to precautionary measures, including wearing mask in public places, to keep the deadly infection at bay.

Also Read: Pakistan records 2,253 coronavirus cases, 29 deaths in a day

“The UK variant of the coronavirus is spreading in big cities,” Dr Nausheen Hamid warned. “It is more infectious but not deadlier,” she pointed out.

About the ongoing vaccination drive, she said that the government has tinkered with its policy about the Covid-19 vaccination and allowed elderly citizens to get themselves vaccinated by showing their CNICs.

Also Read: How elderly people could register for anti-COVID vaccine

29 more deaths due to the coronavirus were reported in the country during the last 24 hours. The death toll has now reached 13,537 and there are now 22,038 active cases of the pandemic. According to the fresh statistics, 2,253 new positive cases were reported in the last 24 hours.