Pakistan to reinstate pandemic response body

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered to restore Pakistan’s central pandemic response body a month after it was shut down as the threat of pandemic receded in the country of 220 million.

The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), which was set up in March 2020, was ordered to be reinstated Pakistan reported its first case of Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1 on May 9.

Taking notice of the detection of the new variant of coronavirus in the country, Prime Minister Sharif ordered the immediate restoration of the pandemic response body. He also sought a report from the Ministry of National Health on the current situation of the coronavirus in the country.

The National Institute of Health (NIH), had detected a case of Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1 in samples collected at airports from foreign travellers through genome sequencing on Monday. NIH cautioned that the new sub-variant was causing an increasing number of COVID-19 cases in different countries. Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1 is causing COVID-19 infections across the world since it is believed to be highly contagious.

The NIH advised people that the best preventive measure against any new COVID-19 variant, besides wearing masks in crowded places, is COVID-19 vaccination.

NIH strongly recommended that people “get vaccinated and booster shots immediately.” Health officials also suggest maintaining distancing and improving ventilation indoors. NIH has not recommended any new coronavirus-related restrictions but enhanced our monitoring and screening of all incoming travellers at airports.

Pakistan reported 31 new COVID-19 cases and zero coronavirus-related deaths during the last 24 hours, the country’s ministry of health said.