GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) health department has confirmed that 52 more persons including three tourists have contracted novel coronavirus, taking the total number of infections to 9,739 in the region, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
The GB health department said in a statement that the active cases of COVID-19 is 501 including 20 tourists, whereas, 173 patients recovered from the virus today.
It added 171 patients died of coronavirus in the region while the positivity rate stood at 7.03 per cent.
Earlier in the day, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) took strict decisions to expedite COVID-19 vaccination process as now it has decided to restrict unvaccinated people from travelling through air, railway and road transport.
Those who have not been vaccinated will be banned to travel by air, railway and transportation means nor they will be allowed to enter any hotel and shopping mall.
Besides the decision, the NCOC gave a deadline to the employees of different sectors to get COVID-19 jabs at the earliest before the said dates, otherwise, their duties will be discontinued.
The NCOC directed those associated with education and aviation sector to get vaccinated till September 30. Moreover, all unvaccinated people have been warned to be banned from entering shopping malls after September 30.
The staffers of hotels and guest houses will not provide any services to the unvaccinated people.
The students aged above 17 years have been directed to get the COVID-19 vaccine till October 15.
Moreover, the commuters who used to travel by trains, buses, taxis and home delivery employees have been directed to get vaccinated till October 15.
The employees of railway stations and public transport were also ordered to get the COVID-19 vaccine till October 15.
 health department has confirmed that 52 more persons including three tourists have contracted novel coronavirus.){kind=link}