PM Shehbaz Sharif restores NCOC after Covid-19 sub-variant surfaces
- By Azhar Farooq -
- May 10, 2022
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed restoration of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), an umbrella body that led Pakistan’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19), ARY News reported.
The prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed immediate restoration of the NCOC and summoned report on the pandemic situation from the Ministry of National Health.
The step has been taken after recent emergence of new sub-variant of Omicron strain of coronavirus, in the country.
Pakistan on Monday reported the country’s first case of Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1, the National Institute of Health (NIH) announced in a statement.
“NIH has detected the first case of Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1. This new sub-variant is causing increasing number of cases in different countries,” the health body said in a Tweet.
The NIH advised people to take the best preventive measure to avoid contracting the virus.
“We strongly recommended getting vaccinated and all those due for boosters must get the shots immediately,” it added.
“We strongly recommended getting vaccinated and all those due for boosters must get the shots immediately,” it added.
The NCOC had ceased to function on March 31 this year and all its functions and responsibilities were officially handed over to National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad.
The Command and Operation Centre was set up in March 2020 in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic to collect, analyse and process information in Pakistan’s struggle against the coronavirus pandemic.