NCOC decides to close schools with high positivity rate

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 06 Jan 2023

The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has decided to launch a massive testing drive and close down educational institutes with high Covid-19 positivity rate.

The decision has been made at an NCOC meeting that reviewed the situation in cities with high positivity rate, according to a statement issued at the end of the meeting.

Meanwhile, employees at the Sindh Secretariat in Karachi, National Stadium Karachi and the Islamabad Airport have tested positive for coronavirus.

The NCOC meeting has decided that a massive testing campaign will be launched for two weeks at educational institutions across the country.

The meeting decided against issuing a blanket order to close all the educational institutes. Instead, a smart approach would be used.

Only educational institute or section with high positivity rate will be closed, the statement said.

The closure will last for a week.

The number of cases qualifying a shutdown will be determined by provincial governments in collaboration with education department and school management.

A campaign will be launched to inoculate students above 12 years of age.

The meeting also decided to close another 12 educational institutes in Islamabad.

Senate Secretariat will operate with 50 per cent staff in offices.

The meeting was told that Covid-19 was spreading at an alarming rate and that every other case in Karachi was turning positive, while the positivity rate in Lahore had increased to 18 per cent.

Employees test positive at government offices

Meanwhile, health authorities have recommended restricting the entry of the general public into the Sindh Secretariat after employees at the Health Department offices located on the sixth floor of the building tested positive.

A total of 84 health department employees were tested and the test for 19 came out positive.

The health department has written to the General Administration secretary describing the situation as alarming.

It has demanded restrictions on the entry of the general public into the Sindh Secretariat.

It is believed that a significant number of government employees at the Sindh Secretariat has been affected by the new Covid-19 wave triggered by the Omicron variant.

A similar situation was seen at the National Stadium where PSL matches are to be played.

At least nine of the 91 employees have tested positive after the tests were conducted at the National Stadium. More cases emerged when players, officials and hotel employees also tested positive.

At the Islamabad airport, several employees have tested positive. Most of the airport staff were affected because they have to regularly interact with a large number of passengers.

However, reports say that some employees working at the ATC tower have also tested positive.

Earlier, work at the Islamabad district and sessions courts was suspended after 15 judges tested positive for coronavirus.

Positivity rate approaches 13%

The average Covid-19 positivity rate in the country is now approaching 13%.

On Thursday, 7,678 people tested positive pushing up the positivity rate to 12.93%, according to an NCOC tweet.

At least 23 people died of Covid-19 on Thursday.