Vaccination certificate declared mandatory for travelers.

ISLAMABAD -- The National Command and Operation Centre said Sunday that special measures were initiated to strictly implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in all high risk sectors to prevent spread of COVID-19.

The NCOC has taken serious note of deadly virus strains prevailing in the country and violations of SOPs and the risk of pandemic spread in view of Eid-ul-Azha. The Forum has declared vaccination certificate mandatory for hotel bookings for tourists visiting Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The center also issued an elaborate procedure for verification of vaccine certificate at the entrances of tourist sites and hotels. NCOC has issued detailed instructions to all provinces for strict implementation of SOPs. The Forum has also formed teams to ensure compliance of wearing facemasks and implementation of social distancing and safety protocols. The NCOC has also issued directives for implementation of SOPs related to cattle markets and Eid-ul-Azha to limit disease spread.

Also, Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar on Sunday urged the citizens aged 50 years or above to get vaccinated to make themselves safe from the Covid-19 pandemic. In a tweet today (Sunday), he said Pakistan has 27.2 million people who are 50 years or older, and this age group is the most vulnerable to serious health effect of Covid. Asad Umar said 5.6 million of these people have so far received at least one dose of vaccine.

Pakistan on Sunday reported 1,980 new coronavirus cases as the positivity rate for the infection reached over four percent for the first time since May 30.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 48,382 tests were conducted during the past 24 hours out of which 1980 returned positive, suggesting a positivity rate of 4.09 percent. It was after 39 days that the positivity rate crossed the 4 percent mark.

Meanwhile, the country reported 27 more deaths, taking the death toll to 22,582. According to the NCOC, Sindh reported 1,091 Covid-19 cases during the past 24 hours, Punjab 292, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 151, Balochistan 98, Islamabad 134, Gilgit-Baltistan 82 and Azad Jammu and Kashmir reported 132 such cases in a single day. Punjab's tally of cases has reached 348,085 while the total death count...