Tag: covid restrictions

  • Pakistan reports no deaths due to Covid for the first time in two years

    Pakistan reports no deaths due to Covid for the first time in two years

    For the first time since the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country, Pakistan has reported zero Covid deaths today (Wednesday).

    The country witnessed a slight rise in cases, with a 1.28 per cent positivity rate and 443 reported new cases, as per the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

    However, the country has been maintaining a positivity rate below 2 per cent since mid-March.

    Earlier, NCOC chief Asad Umar had announced the decision to lift all the Covid-19 related restrictions but made it clear that the vaccination restriction would not be lifted.

    On March 12, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (PM) on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, Dr Faisal Sultan announced the government’s decision to shut down NCOC.

    In recent months, the rate of Covid cases in Pakistan has remained low after almost three years of fighting the global pandemic.

  • New Zealand PM cancels own wedding due to Omicron restrictions

    New Zealand PM cancels own wedding due to Omicron restrictions

    New Zealand Prime Minister (PM) Jacinda Ardern has cancelled her own wedding as the nation imposes new restrictions in the wake of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

    The prime minister was rumoured to be planning to marry her longtime partner Clarke Gayford.

    “My wedding will not be going ahead,” she said.

    In a briefing, Ardern said, “I just join many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like that as a result of the pandemic and to anyone who’s caught up in that scenario, I am so sorry.”

    She also urged citizens to get booster and reduce contact with others to avoid the spread.

    In a video, she was asked by a reporter how she felt about the postponement of her wedding, Ardern replied: “Such is life.”

    The “red setting” of the country’s pandemic response includes heightened measures such as mask-wearing and limits on gatherings which will go into effect on Monday.

    The latest curbs come after nine cases of Omicron were detected in a single family that flew to Auckland for a wedding earlier this month.

  • 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.

  • UK criticised for removing India from Red List despite worse Covid-19 situation than Pakistan

    UK criticised for removing India from Red List despite worse Covid-19 situation than Pakistan

    The United Kingdom (UK) has recently announced that it is removing India from the Red List and moving it to the to Amber List from August 8 while Pakistan is still on the Red List.

    Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps took to Twitter to announce the news.

    The website of the UK’s government states the rules if you are travelling from a country that lies in the Red List.

    “What you must do if you have been in a country or territory on the Red List in the 10 days before you arrive in England,” states the website.

    “If you have been in a country or territory on the Red List in the last 10 days you will only be allowed to enter the UK if you are a British or Irish National, or you have residence rights in the UK,” it added.

    Travellers who are fully vaccinated will have to follow these rules:

    Before you travel to England you must:

    Take a Covid-19 test – children aged 10 and under do not need to take this test

    Book a quarantine hotel package, including 2 Covid-19 tests

    Complete a passenger locator form

    On arrival in England you must:

    Quarantine in a managed hotel, including 2 Covid-19 tests

    Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari criticised the move and tweeted: “I had stated in April this year that UK was playing politics on Covid restrictions when they put Pak on Red List 2 weeks before India despite the Covid management disaster in India as opp to Pak’s good management raised internationally. NOW UK again playing politics targeting Pak.”

    Social media users are not happy with the decision as Pakistan’s Covid-19 situation is not as bad as India.  

  • Indian couple gets married on plane to avoid COVID restrictions

    Indian couple gets married on plane to avoid COVID restrictions

    Following a drastic increase in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, India has imposed a strict lockdown to curb the virus spread hindering the plans of those who had organised traditional and fancy Indian weddings.

    A couple hailing from Tamil Nadu did not bother even for a raging pandemic and seems to have decided nothing would stand in the way of their special day.

    Rakesh and Dakshina bucked restrictions in their home state to charter a SpiceJet flight from Madurai to Bangalore, along with over a hundred guests, so they could get married in mid-air with all their relatives and friends.

    The couple reportedly waited until the aircraft was flying over the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple to bless their union.

    India Today reported that the couple had actually tied the knot in a private ceremony held earlier, but decided to host a ceremony onboard an aircraft to make their big day ‘memorable’.

    Read more – Bride marries wedding guest after groom-to-be ‘disappears’

    The couple claimed that all passengers on board were their relatives who had taken the COVID-19 test and presented negative test results.

    An airport director confirmed to ANI that a SpiceJet chartered flight had been booked from Madurai but said officials were unaware of the mid-air marriage ceremony.