Asad Umar, the Federal Minister for Planning, cautioned on Wednesday that further controls would be imposed as the country’s situation continues to worsen amid Covid-19.
After chairing a crucial meeting at the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), the federal minister stated that the execution of COVID-19 SOPs is not good at this time, and that the amount of critical cases in the country has surpassed 4,500.
The NCOC stated that if the condition does not improve, they would be forced to close down major cities.
“At the NCOC we reviewed the pandemic situation, which is bad. We have taken several decisions to impose more curbs which would be announced on Friday,” Asad Umar said, adding right now we are not closing major cities but we just have a margin of few days.
He went on to say that the positivity rate in Karachi and Hyderabad is 13% and 14%, respectively, whereas it is 33% and 38% in Mardan and Bahawalpur. “More than 80% of ventilators are in use.”
Asad Umar said that the administration has refused to enforce the SOPs, which has resulted in obvious consequences.
“Health facilities are under stress due to increasing number of positive cases which have now crossed 83,000.”
He also advised the chief ministers to take measures against the SOP breach and to assist the NCOC in the pandemic’s containment.
