TLTP
ISLAMABAD
Planning Minister Asad Umar has urged the provincial governments to ensure public adherence to precautionary measures during Eid-ul-Adha to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Chairing a meeting here at National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Thursday, the minister said that necessary steps should be taken for holding cattle markets. The minister warned that any carelessness in observance of precautionary measures during Eid-ul-Adha may lead to a fresh spike in coronavirus cases.
He said that public health and their protection is the top priority of the government. Sharing data of the coronavirus tests and cases, Asad Umar said 23,403 average COVID-19 tests were conducted from June 1 to 15 while the number of tests from July 1 to 15 was 22,969. He said average coronavirus cases from June 1 to 15 were 5,056 while their number in the corresponding period in July was 3,097.
The minister said the number of COVID-19 cases declined due to people’s better attitude regarding precautionary measures and administrative measures, including smart lockdown; not because of reduction in tests.
Meanwhile, Asad Umar said that there has been a decline in coronavirus cases in the country primarily due to a nearly sixty percent reduction in positivity. In a tweet, he said some people are saying that cases are down only due to testing reduction.
The minister explained that if the positivity rate had been over 22 percent, which was in mid-June, the 24,262 tests done a day before would have resulted in 5,500 cases, but the actual number of cases was 2,145.
