NCOC imposes tighter restrictions in Islamabad, several Punjab and KPK districts

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) decided on Friday to impose a new set of restrictions in areas with high coronavirus prevalence in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Islamabad from September 4 till September 12 to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The new restrictions will apply to Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Khanewal, Multan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan, Peshawar, Swabi, Malakand, Swat, Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra and Dera Ismail Khan and Islamabad.

Under the new restrictions, all indoor and outdoor events have been banned. Additionally, public transport will be banned and indoor gyms and educational institutions will remain closed.

The restrictions were announced after the NCOC took a detailed stock of the current disease situation in different districts, daily hospital admissions, pressure on critical care and availability of oxygen, it said.

3,559 fresh Covid-19 cases reported: NCOC

The new measures come as Pakistan's death toll crossed 26,000 on Friday. Currently, there are 5,606 critical coronavirus patients in the country.

As per the latest data by the NCOC, 57 people succumbed to the novel virus during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 26,035 since the start of the pandemic.

Earlier on Friday, Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas had announced that educational institutes, both public and private, will remain closed for six days due to the rise in coronavirus infections in the province.

In a tweet, the minister said, "All Public & Private Schools of Punjab to be closed from September 6th to September 11th, 2021 due COVID 19 conditions."

He urged the people to stay home in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. "Protect yourself and your families," he remarked.

Meanwhile, Islamabad had also decided to impose coronavirus restrictions from September 4 till September 12 to curtail the spread of the virus. In a tweet, Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat said that during this time, schools, inter-city transport and indoor gyms will be closed.

Indoor and outdoor dining will also remain closed during this time period, Shafqaat said, adding that the decision is taken due to the increasing pressure on hospitals as the fourth Covid-19 wave takes its toll.

On Friday, Pakistan's coronavirus death toll crossed the 26,000 figure. As per the latest data by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 57 people succumbed to the novel virus during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 26,035 since the start of the pandemic. Currently, there are 5,606 critical coronavirus patients in the country.

Schools in Punjab to reopen on rotation basis

In wake of the increasing number of Covid cases, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar warned on Thursday that patient inflow at hospitals as well as the occupancy of critical care patients is the highest in Pakistan since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.

He said that like the rest of the world, the Delta variant has also had an impact on Pakistan, and is rapidly spreading. This is increasing the burden on hospitals, he added.

On Thursday, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar warned that patient inflow at hospitals as well as the occupancy of critical care patients is the highest in Pakistan since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.

"Please follow [SOPs] & vaccinate," Umar advised citizens.

Pakistan's death toll crosses 26,000, active Covid cases sees downward trend

As Pakistan endeavors to curtail the spread of the novel virus, it is also rushing to inoculate its population, with the country administering 1,590,309 doses of the coronavirus vaccine, the highest in a single day, on August 31.

Meanwhile, 35% of Pakistan's eligible population has so far received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The country has also started vaccinating citizens aged 17 with the Pfizer vaccine along with immunocompromised individuals between 12 to 17 years of age.