ISLAMABAD: Coronavirus cases are once more on the rise in Pakistan, with the positivity rate in Karachi, the country’s largest city, crossing 21 percent as per data shared by the government on Thursday.
In late March, Pakistan disbanded the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC), which was overseeing the COVID-19 response in the country, as infection numbers were at the lowest since the start of the outbreak early in 2020.
Now once again, COVID-19 infections are increasing in Pakistan, with 268 positive COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, with a 2.14 percent positivity ratio, up from 0.82 percent on March 31.
The country had on March 16 lifted most restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19. Pakistan has faced four infections waves in the last two years, which were effectively managed by the NCOC.
“With Covid indicators at all-time lows and high levels of vaccination, (the) baton (is) now being passed on to the health ministry,” then planning minister and NCOC chief Asad Umar had said when the coronavirus response center was disbanded.
Pakistan has administered at least 260,941,098 doses of COVID vaccines so far. Assuming every person needs two doses, that is enough to have vaccinated about 60.2 percent of the country’s population.
