NCOC: Covid-19 curbs to stay in place in these cities

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday decided to extend already enforced curbs in cities with over 10 per cent positivity rate of Covid-19 cases till February 21.

The country’s nerve centre for Covid response announced to ease coronavirus curbs in cities with a positivity rate of less than 10 per cent in light of “improved disease trends”.

Cities with a positivity rate of more than 10 per cent and where Covid restrictions will remain in place are:

Karachi
Hyderabad
Peshawar
Gilgit
Muzaffarabad
Mardan

The ban on all kinds of indoor gatherings will continue to remain in place in these six cities. Outdoor gathering gatherings will only be allowed for a maximum of 300 people only for fully vaccinated.

Indoor gyms, cinemas, shrines and amusements parks will continue to operate at 50pc capacity for fully vaccinated individuals in the above-mentioned cities.

The NCOC will review restrictions on different sectors on Feb 21.

Restrictions across Pakistan

Markets and businesses will continue to operate without any restriction.
Offices will be allowed to operate at 100% capacity with normal working hours.
Only vaccinated people will be allowed in gyms, cinemas, shrines, and amusement parks.
Public transport will operate with 70% occupancy (trains at 80%) for fully vaccinated and mask wearing will be mandatory throughout the journey.

Pakistan coronavirus cases

Pakistan reported as many as 2,597 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 27 deaths in the previous 24 hours, the data shared by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) showed Tuesday.

It said 29 more patients succumbed to the viral disease, pushing the death toll to 29,828.

A total of 48,037 samples were tested, out of which 2,597 turned out to be positive, showing an infection rate of 5.4 per cent as compared to yesterday’s 5.62%.

The number of coronavirus patients in critical care at various hospitals across the country stands at 1,588.