GILGIT: Tourists visiting Gilgit Baltistan (GB) have been directed to carry a COVID-negative report while entering the region amid rising COVID-19 cases in the country.
According to a notification issued by the GB administration on Saturday, the tourists will only be allowed to enter the Gilgit Baltistan region if they will be carrying a COVID-negative report.
The decision was made by the Gilgit Baltistan authorities while keeping in view the prevailing situation which saw a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, the notification said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has reported as many as 3,876 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, taking the country’s COVID-19 tally to 623,135.
According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the country’s death toll climbed to 13,799 after 42 people succumbed to the deadly disease during the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, 1,446 patients recovered from the deadly disease in a day taking the total recoveries to 579,760. The monitoring body further informed that the total active COVID-19 cases across the country were reported to be 29,576.
The positivity ratio was recorded at 9.46 percent during the past one day. A total of 40,946 tests were conducted across the country during this period. Almost 2,122 patients are in critical condition across the country.
Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan has cautioned that the situation can go worse if masses continue to violate standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“The COVID positivity ratio has doubled from 4.5 percent to 9.50 percent in the last few days,” the special assistant said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad today (Saturday).
Dr Faisal further said that the hospitals, currently, across the country were dealing with the influx of COVID-19 patients. “This is an alarming situation which is increasing burden on our healthcare system,” he added.
“The pressure is especially being seen on the health infrastructure in major cities like Punjab, Islamabad and Peshawar,” he said, adding, “It is our collective responsibility to fully comply with precautionary measures to cope with the challenge.”
