Govt to announce new restrictions on Friday as Covid-19 situation worsen

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 04 Jan 2023

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan witnessed the highest number of deaths from Covid-19 this week, National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) head Asad Umar said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, he said more than 600 patients are being admitted to hospitals across the country daily, adding that the pressure on hospitals is mounting due to the rising positivity ratio of Covid-19 infections.

“The number of patients using oxygen at hospitals is more than 4,500, which is more than 30 percent of the first wave of the coronavirus,” the planning and development minister said.

Asad Umar said Sindh is now witnessing a rise in Covid-19 cases. The positivity rate of infections in Karachi and Hyderabad has doubled of late, he pointed out.

Iran reported more than 25,000 new cases and 395 deaths from Covid-19 the other day, Asad Umar said, adding the Covid situation in India is even worse, where about 275,000 infections were reported in a single day. Covid deaths in India exceeded 2,000 the previous day while fatalities touched 136 in Pakistan, he added.

“The NCOC will have to impose new restrictions,” he said, adding it has shared suggestions, which will be announced on Friday.