ISLAMABAD: Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar emphasized on Monday the need for taking immediate measures to curb rising cases of the coronavirus.

He tweeted that the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Monday discussed additional measures to control “the rising spread of Covid-19”. He said the NCOC in a meeting on Tuesday will put forth recommendations in this regard.

“Need to take immediate measures which have the most impact on disease spread without curtailing economic activity,” he said. Asad Umar had earlier stressed for strict implementation of precautionary measures to ward off the second wave of novel coronavirus pandemic in the country.

In a meeting of NCOC, the federal minister said that the use of face masks is mandatory adding that enforcement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in educational institutions and banquet halls will be strictly monitored.

Expressing his views in the meeting chief secretary Sindh said that NCOC guidelines are being implemented in the province and action against the educational institutions, marriage halls found violating the SOPs are going on. NNI