PM Imran Khan to chair NCC meeting on coronavirus today

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: National Coordination Committee (NCC) on coronavirus will meet in Islamabad today (Monday) with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair.

According to sources, NCC will further discuss ways and means to effectively deal with pandemic and its impact on the country. Measures to stop spread of coronavirus at provincial level and implementation of relief package will also be reviewed.

Chief Ministers of four provinces will attend the meeting through video link. The meeting will also be attended by Prime Minister AJK, Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan, federal ministers, high ranking military officials and chairman NDMA.

Sources said that the meeting will review the proposal of ten-day extension of the lockdown by the Punjab government. The meeting will also look into the demand of Sindh government to further tighten the lockdown.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah in a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Balochistan on Sunday and proposed stricter lockdown to control coronavirus pandemic.

Sources further informed that the National Coordination Committee will unanimously decide the next course of action in the context of present coronavirus situation in the country.

Special Assistant on National Health Dr Zafar Mirza has said that important decisions regarding the next strategy to deal with coronavirus in the country will be announced by the Prime Minister after meeting of National Coordination Committee.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said PM Imran Khan chaired a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Sunday to discuss the overall coronavirus situation in the country.

Special Assistant said there have been reports of misuse of protective clothing and N-95 masks and urged that only frontline health workers are eligible to use these masks.

He said National Command and Operation Centre will issue a video to disseminate public information regarding the precautionary measures.

He said fourteen deaths were reported in the country during last 24 hours, however the figure might increase in the coming days, if social distancing and other measures are not followed by the people.

He said 254 cases were reported in last 24 hours with overall confirmed cases now exceeding five thousand. He said almost half of these cases are due to local transmission.

The Special Assistant said 1026 people have recovered completely in the country, while 1414 are hospitalized, with 37 in critical condition.