Tag: covid 19

  • Pakistan records highest number of Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began

    Pakistan records highest number of Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began

    Pakistan has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began. As per the National Command and Operating Center (NCOC), the country recorded 7678 new cases of the deadly virus. The positivity rate has increased to 12.93 per cent.

    Moreover, 23 people lost their lives and 961 patients are in critical condition.

    The total number of cases has risen to 1,353,479 and the death toll is 29,065.

    Read more- NCOC bans indoor events in cities with Covid positivity rate over 10%

    A ban on indoor dinning in major cities including, Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, and Hyderabad will be enforced from today.

  • Five Covid-19 cases reported in three different franchises ahead of PSL 7

    Five Covid-19 cases reported in three different franchises ahead of PSL 7

    Five cases have been reported from as many as three franchises of the Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) seventh edition which is set to start from January 27 in Karachi.

    As per details, two of the officials for the PSL 2022 season have now tested positive for Covid-19 which is not a piece of ideal news for the board.

    According to reports, West Indies batter Shimron Hetmyer, Australian all-rounder James Faulkner and England left-arm seamer Luke Wood have all tested positive for Covid-19 and are placed in isolation. They were expected to arrive in Karachi but their arrival has now been delayed and they will also miss the first game for the Quetta Gladiators against the Peshawar Zalmi.

    The majority of the players and all of the officials are expected to join the bio-bubble in Karachi by tonight, which has been set up by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to conduct Covid-19 tests as the majority of the personnel have been engaged in cricketing activities; this might result in additional Covid-19 positive cases being reported.

    As per Cricket Pakistan, a couple of PCB officials have also fallen prey to the pandemic whereas some players’ families have also reported testing positive for Covid-19.

    All the matches of the upcoming edition of PSL will be held in just the two venues of Lahore and Karachi to reduce the possibility of players contracting the virus through travel. The crowd capacity for the matches has been reduced to 25 percent and this will be a huge responsibility for the PCB to ensure the tournament is conducted according to safety measures.

    Chairman PCB, Ramiz Raja already had measures in place for the Covid-19 scenario and the franchises have agreed to take the field if each of the squad has 13 players available in order to ensure that the matches are not skipped.

  • Unvaccinated Novak Djokovic owns biotech firm developing Covid drug

    Unvaccinated Novak Djokovic owns biotech firm developing Covid drug

    Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic owns a majority stake in a biotechnology firm, which is working on a way to immunise people against Covid without a vaccine. The Serbian tennis star has been vocal in his opposition to jabs, and appears to be actively invested in finding a way for others like himself to be protected without the need for a needle.

    It was revealed by Reuters on Wednesday that Djokovic has purchased an 80% share of QuantBioRes, which is headquartered in Copenhagen.

    The firm is working on a way to counter the virus without the need for people to get the vaccine against coranavirus.

    The company’s chief executive Ivan Loncarevic told Reuters that Djokovic made the investment more than a year ago, clarifying that it was not a response to his recent saga in Australia.

    He subsequently told the Financial Times that he had not spoken to Djokovic, who has won more than $150m in prize money, since November and that the tennis star was “not anti-vax”.

    Djokovic travelled to Australia at the start of the month with the plan of taking part in the Australian Open, but was held at the airport in Melbourne over a visa issue.

    Eventually, the day before the tournament began, the Federal Court upheld the Australian government’s decision and deported the world number one tennis player.

    Djokovic, who may also be barred from defending his French Open title in Roland Garros in May after the French government ruled on Monday that all athletes will have to be vaccinated in order to attend and compete in sporting events, acquired his stake in the company in June 2020.

  • NCOC bans indoor events in cities with Covid positivity rate over 10%

    NCOC bans indoor events in cities with Covid positivity rate over 10%

    According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), all indoor gatherings and events have been banned in the districts and cities with Covid-19 positivity rate exceeding 10 per cent. However, only outdoor wedding events are allowed to be organised with a maximum of 500 guests.

    The ban will go into effect from January 24 , the NCOC said.

    The decisions were taken after the NCOC held a detailed review of the country’s current coronavirus situation along with the corresponding Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs). The forum differentiated the new NPIs depending on whether districts have Covid-19 positivity rate up to 10 per cent or above.

    The NPIs to be implemented are as follows depending on the positivity rate and specify that they are for fully vaccinated individuals:

    Gatherings

    • Indoor gatherings allowed up to 300 individuals, outdoor up to 500 for districts with positivity up to 10pc
    • Indoor gatherings banned, outdoor up to 300 for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc (with effect from Jan 24)

    Weddings:

    • Indoor weddings allowed up to 300 individuals, outdoor up to 500 for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
    • Indoor weddings banned, outdoor up to 300 for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc (with effect from Jan 24 and will remain effective till February 15)

    Dining:

    • Indoor and outdoor dining both allowed for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
    • Indoor dining banned (with effect from Jan 24), outdoor allowed for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc

    Education sector:

    • Education activities will continue for those under and over 12 in districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
    • Education activities will continue with staggered attendance at 50pc capacity for those under 12 and 100pc attendance for those over 12 in districts with positivity rate more than 10pc
    • Those over 12 will need to be fully vaccinated in both situations
    • Vaccination will be mandatory (at least one dose) for those over 12 from Feb 1
    • Aggressive sentinel testing to be carried out for targeted closures in institutes with high disease prevalence
    • Federating units in consultation with health authorities will decide limits for closure of educational institutions

    Gyms, cinemas, shrines, amusement parks:

    • Indoor activities allowed for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
    • Indoor activities allowed at 50pc capacity for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc

    Sports:

    • All sports activities allowed for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
    • Ban on contact sports (karate, boxing, martial arts, rugby, water polo, wrestling and kabaddi) for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc

     

    The NCOC decided that markets and business activities will continue without any restrictions. Employers are encouraged to let people work from home where possible.

    Similarly, intercity public transport has been restricted in districts with high coronavirus positivity ratios at 70pc and 80pc in railways. The ban on serving of meals was also maintained for public transport and domestic air travel.

    The curbs come as the country is in the grip of the fifth wave, which is being driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

    It should be noted that in the last 24 hours, the coronavirus positivity ratio in Pakistan was 9.48pc when 5,472 infections were recorded, with Sindh and Punjab leading the charge in new cases reported.

    Owing to a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases, several educational institutions in Islamabad and Karachi have also decided to close all schools to curb the rapid spread of the virus.

  • Shehbaz Sharif, Shaukat Tarin test positive for Covid-19

    Shehbaz Sharif, Shaukat Tarin test positive for Covid-19

    Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif has tested positive for Covid-19 again.

    Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin has also tested positive for coronavirus 

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) official Twitter handle shared the news.

    The PML-N president, had last tested positive for COVID-19 in June 2020.

    Shehbaz is currently isolated at home and resting as per his doctor’s advice.

    Pakistan is currently battling a fifth wave of the pandemic with a current positivity rate up to 9.5 percent and 5472 positive case of the coronavirus.

  • Positivity rate 35% in KHI: Sindh announces Covid restrictions but no lockdown

    Positivity rate 35% in KHI: Sindh announces Covid restrictions but no lockdown

    Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah has announced new Covid-19 restrictions in the province amid the sharp surge in infections of the deadly virus. The positivity rate in the city’s capital has reached 35 percent. Despite the high positivity rate, no lockdown will be imposed in the city.

    A meeting of The Sindh Task Force chaired by CM Sindh was held today in which the decision to not close the educational institutes in the province was made.

    However, new Covid-19 restrictions were decided in the meeting. The restrictions include:

    • Government employees flouting the SOPs, including the mask-wearing rule, will have to pay a fine to be deducted from their salary
    • Food at weddings to be distributed in boxes
    • Wearing mask has been made compulsory in all Public Places
    • Authorities to check vaccination cards
    • Only vaccinated people will be allowed in markets

    As per NCOC, Pakistan recorded 4286 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours with four people losing their lives to the deadly virus.

  • NCOC allows people over 18 to get booster shots starting tomorrow

    NCOC allows people over 18 to get booster shots starting tomorrow

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday has allowed booster shots for people over the age of 18 years as Covid-19 postivity rate increase around the country.

    “In Todays NCOC session, age limit for booster dose has been further reduced. From tomorrow onwards, citizens over 18 years will be eligible for free booster dose of their choice. Booster (one dose) will be administered after 6 months gap from complete vaccination,” NCOC said in a tweet.

    You can call on 1166 to get the details about the designated centers to get booster shots.

    As per NCOC, Pakistan recorded 3567 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours with seven people losing their lives to the deadly virus.

  • WHO experts say repeating booster shots not appropriate

    WHO experts say repeating booster shots not appropriate

    World Health Organisation experts warned on Tuesday that repeating booster doses of the original Covid vaccines is not a viable strategy against emerging variants.

    “A vaccination strategy based on repeated booster doses of the original vaccine composition is unlikely to be appropriate or sustainable,” the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Covid-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-Co-VAC) said in a statement.

    It said preliminary data indicates that the existing vaccines were less effective at preventing symptomatic Covid disease in people who have contracted the new Omicron variant, currently spreading like wildfire around the world.

    It recommended developing vaccines that not only protect people against falling seriously ill but could also better prevent infection and transmission in the first place.

  • VIDEO: Haris Rauf celebrates wicket in BBL match by wiping hands, putting on mask

    VIDEO: Haris Rauf celebrates wicket in BBL match by wiping hands, putting on mask

    Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf is known for his quirky celebrations after he took Shahid Afridi’s wicket in Pakistan Super League (PSL). A video of the 28-year-old speedster is circulating on social media and burned the internet with his unique style of celebrating the wicket in Big Bash League (BBL).

    In Melbourne Stars jersey, the right-arm fast bowler came up with a ‘Covid-safe’ celebration, where he gestured to sanitise his hands and put on a mask after taking the wicket of Kurtis Patterson.

    It all happened during the third over of the BBL contest between Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Stars. Rauf bowled a delivery that was angling away outside off stump, tempting Patterson to go for a cover drive. But the batter nicked it to the keeper Joe Clarke, which was followed by Rauf’s hilarious celebration.

    Rauf acted to take out sanitiser from his pocket moments after the umpire raise his finger. The Pakistan seamer then pulled out a mask and wore it, leaving his teammates and even the commentators in splits.

    Rauf finished with figures of 2 for 38 in his four overs as Perth Scorchers scored 117 runs off the last 10 overs to take their total to 196/3.

    Earlier, Rauf impressed his fans after taking a brilliant catch in his second match for the Stars.

  • Want to go watch the PSL matches during Covid? Here is what you need to know

    Want to go watch the PSL matches during Covid? Here is what you need to know

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly finalised a plan to complete the Pakistan Super League season seven smoothly despite Covid-19 fears.

    The much awaited league is set to start from January 27 and will be played in Karachi and Lahore.

    The previous two editions of the league were affected by the pandemic and were completed in two phases after a brief postponement.

    Keeping the fifth Covid-19 wave in mind, the board and the franchises have chalked down the protocols to complete the tournament smoothly.

    Reportedly, the authorities have made a three-day quarantine mandatory for the people associated with the league.

    Local and foreign players will enter quarantine from January 20. In case of a positive test, 10-day isolation will be obligatory for the affected person.

    Families of the players will not be allowed to stay with them during the tournament.

    The report further revealed that the availability of a minimum of 13 players is essential for the conduct of a match. In case less than 13 players are available, a match will not be possible.

    The tournament will be suspended for seven-day if coronavirus infections break out during the league.

    A reserve pool of 24 local players will be readied for the PSL 7. These players will also enter quarantine from January 20.

    The security plans were also discussed in a meeting held by Chairman PCB Ramiz Raja.

    Meanwhile, the online sale of tickets of the league will start from today (Tuesday). PCB has also reportedly offered free tickets for the fans, one free ticket will be given for every four tickets purchased.

    The spectators will have to be fully vaccinated and follow the Covid-19 SOPs.