ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday hinted at imposing strict steps to control recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.

A meeting of the NCOC chaired by Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar expressed concern over surge in coronavirus cases in the country.

Chief Secretaries of the provinces attended the session by video link.

COVID-19 situation being monitored thoroughly and in case of lack of improvement in compliance of the standard operating procedures (SOPs), there will be no choice but to take difficult decisions, it was observed in the NCOC meeting.

“The services could be shutdown if the situation not improved.” “Strict curbs could be imposed again in case of non-compliance of the SOPs,” according to the NCOC statement.

The cases of coronavirus increasing rapidly due to gross violation of the standard operating procedures. The services will be closed again if the breach of SOPs will be continued.

“The number of deaths also increasing along with the spike in coronavirus cases,” the NCOC statement said.

The NCOC directed provincial chief secretaries to ensure compliance of the SOPs adding that the provinces should take strict actions and impose heavy fines over breach of the safety measures.

The provinces were also advised to enhance monitoring of public transport, markets, wedding halls and eateries.

The NCOC instructed for strict monitoring of the public meetings and gatherings.

The epidemic spreading rapidly from the high risk sections of the society, the NCOC said, advising strict compliance of wearing masks and maintaining social distance.

The NCOC session also directed strict action against those violating the safety measures.

The coronavirus claimed 19 more lives across the country during the past 24 hours, taking the death toll from the disease to 6,692.

On October 20, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar had said that daily Covid-19 death rate spiked to 140 per cent last week as compared with the mortality rate recorded few weeks back.