Positivity ratio soars: Ulema taken on board to ensure SOPs: NCOC

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Friday was apprised that the National Positivity Ratio is 7.2 percent with soaring ratios in the provinces whereas Ulemas were taken on board to ensure compliance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and encourage the masses to adhere to safety guidelines.

The NCOC meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar discussed epidemic curve chart data, SOP's compliance in mosques, shrines and marriage halls and feedback of interaction with Ulemas where the provincial Chief secretaries participated through video link. Speaking on the occasion, Asad Umar said that our main responsibility was public safety and health.

He added that all necessary measures as passed through various guidelines and instructions issued time to time by Health Ministry should be ensured. Asad Umar said that continuous monitoring and anticipation of likely pattern or disease prevalence was the most important measure as only this would help us required response for Covid Control efforts.

The Forum was apprised about disease prevalence and spread in various parts of the country. The Health experts briefed the forum that the National Positivity Ratio was 7.20 percent with the highest positivity ratio observed in Peshawar 19.65 percent followed by Karachi 17.73 percent and Hyderabad 16.32 percent.

"Around 2,112 Covid patients are in critical condition across Pakistan and the number of critical patients is rising fast," the health experts said. The positivity ratio in various federating units was recorded as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 10.79 percent, Balochistan 6.41 percent , Gilgit Baltistan (GB) 4.81percent, Islamabad 5.84 percent, KP is 9.25 percent, Punjab 3.59 percent and Sindh 13.25 percent.

The Province wise COVID Positivity Ratio was noted in Punjab as Lahore had 4.52 percent, Rawalpindi11.49 percent, in Sindh, Karachi had 17.73 percent, Hyderabad 16.32 percent, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Peshawar had 19.65 percent, in Balochistan Quetta had 9.77 percent, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) had 5.84 percent, in AJK had Mirpur 14.97 percent, Muzaffarabad 10.34 percent and in GB, Gilgit had 9.26 percent.

The Forum was also apprised that the meetings were held with Ulemas and Marriage hall associations by federating units on compliance of health guidelines and health protocols and enforcement measures. The Federating units praised compliance of SOPs in mosques and enforcement measures and public awareness about pandemic through Uemas.