In a tweet, the NCOC said at least 228 Covid cases were reported in a single day and 27,741 tests were performed. Moreover, two died and 470 patients were reported to be on critical care in a single day.

In view of the decreasing cases and increased vaccination status, the NCOC on March 16 decided to end all Covid-induced restrictions. However, vaccination against the coronavirus was still mandatory, it added.

“87% of the eligible population, which is above the 12 years of age, has received the first dose of the Covid vaccine. And 70% of the population is fully vaccinated against the virus,” NCOC head Asad Umar had said in a press conference. The forum, which serves as the nerve centre of the country’s unified efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, had also urged people to continue to wear masks when they are in a crowded place or area without less airspace.

The forum had also issued the countrywide Covid tally. With 573,850 coronavirus cases, Sindh topped the list, followed by Punjab (504,507), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (218,736), Islamabad (134,973), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (43,222), Balochistan (35,459), Gilgit Baltistan (11,672).

Amidst this, the government was making efforts to boost the health infrastructure as the NCOC had said on March 16 that they would improve the health sector after learning from the impact of a pandemic.

A new Covid-19 sample collection centre was inaugurated for the National Institute for Health in Islamabad which was appreciated by the World Health Organisation Pakistan.

Moreover, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday laid the groundbreaking stone of two public sector health infrastructures projects – including a 311-bed hospital and 200-bed emergency services block at PIMS – in Islamabad.

According to SAPM on Health Faisal Sultan, the 311-bed hospital was the first “new public sector hospital in Islamabad since 1985” that would help to manage the increase in load because of the city’s growing population.