As a number of countries including the US and the India imposed restrictions on visitors from China, Pakistan has also ordered tightening of Covid-19 screening of incoming passengers at all its airports though the country registered only a dozen coronavirus infections with no fatality during the last 24 hours (Wednesday), showed the statistics released by the National Institute of Health (NIH) on Thursday morning, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
According to the NIH data, the death toll in the country remained the same at 30,636 whereas the number of total infections now crawled up to 1,575,748 after adding the fresh 12 cases.
During the last 24 hours (Wednesday), 3,583 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio plunged to 0.33 percent from the previous day’s 0.75 percent. The number of patients in critical care was 19.
Covid screening at airports intensified
The authorities in Pakistan have decided to reinforce the Covid screening of inbound passengers at its airports after the spread of Covid variants across the world.
The Border Health Services of Pakistan issued an order to tighten the Covid screening process of inbound passengers. The passengers from foreign countries should be strictly monitored at all airports across the country, the order stated.
The staffers of the airport health service will be bound to immediately conduct the rapid antigen test (RAT) of the suspected passengers.
It has been ordered to conduct the Covid screening of at least two per cent of the passengers of each flight. In case of resistance from any passenger, the staffers of the civil aviation’s vigilance department and airport security will assist the concerned health officers.
The order was immediately taken into effect.
The Covid tests have been declared mandatory for passengers landing in Pakistan from Saudi Arabia and South Africa amid Covid cases fear.
As per the details, the rapid antigen Covid tests are delayed due to a shortage of Covid testing kits at the Karachi airport.
Earlier this week, the National Institute of Health Islamabad and the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had said Pakistan was fully ready to cope with the expected new wave of Covid variant.