Omicron-fuelled COVID-19 fifth wave spreading fast: NCOC
January 03, 2022
- NCOC says fifth wave of COVID-19, driven by Omicron variant, is spreading at "great pace" in country.
- Positivity rate in Karachi has risen from 2% to 6% in last three days, say NCOC.
- To prevent spread of fifth wave of COVID-19, NCOC advises people to get vaccinated.
The fifth wave of COVID-19, which is driven by the Omicron variant, is spreading at a great pace in the country, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said Monday as Pakistan reported its highest number of daily infections in over two months.
While addressing the epidemic curve chart data, the national immunisation plan, and disease prevalence across the country in a morning session on Monday, the NCOC confirmed that the positivity rate in Karachi has risen from 2% to 6% in the last three days, with the highest number of positive instances.
The forum, presided over by Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar and National Coordinator Major General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, agreed to take stringent measures for mandatory vaccinations.
The NCOC also looked at the disease's spread and discovered that the fifth wave of COVID, which is driven by Omicron, is spreading quickly.
To prevent the spread of the fifth wave of COVID, NCOC advised people to be vaccinated, wear masks, and maintain social distance.
It was also stated that people who have been vaccinated are less susceptible to Omicron.
NCOC also assessed district-level immunisation targets, and said provinces are working tirelessly to meet their goals.
To avoid the spread of disease, the NCOC urged the provinces to meet their immunisation targets as quickly as feasible.
Omar Ayub Khan, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, and Dr Faisal Sultan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, were also present at the session.
'COVID-19 spreading like wildfire in Karachi'
The beginning of a fifth wave of the coronavirus pandemic in Karachi is being expected as a rapid surge in coronavirus case has been observed across Sindh, and especially in the port city after 321 SARS-Cov-2 or COVID-19 infections were detected, The News reported earlier on Monday.
However, no casualties have been witnessed overnight anywhere in the province, said the federal health officials Sunday.
“A total of 403 new coronavirus cases have been reported in Sindh in the last 24 hours, of which 321 were from Karachi," the officials said.
Pakistan reports highest number of daily COVID-19 cases in over two months
Pakistan has recorded its highest number of COVID-19 cases in a single day since October 30, as 708 infections were detected during the last 24 hours, official data on Monday morning showed, Geo News reported on Sunday.
On October 30, the country reported 733 cases.
The statistics issued by the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) suggested that 45,643 diagnostic tests were conducted overnight, during which 708 people tested positive for coronavirus.
