ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Thursday said that National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has tightened restrictions on some high risk public activities due to the increase in coronavirus cases.

In a post on social-networking website Twitter, the minister said the national covid positivity ratio was higher than three percent yesterday after more than seventy days.

He said the rising spread of the disease can only be controlled if people believe in the need for precautions.

On the other hand, all the markets, shopping malls, restaurants and wedding halls across the country will be closed by 10pm from today due to recent spike in coronavirus cases.

As per the guidelines prepared by NCOC, there will be no entry in recreational places and public parks after 6:00pm. The medical store, clinics and hospitals are exempted from these new timings as they will remain open.

Earlier, Asad Umar said told NCOC had approved the use of antigen testing for COVID-19 in addition to the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests being carried out in the country. This was a part of strategy to increase the level of testing in the country, he added.

He said that the symptomatic cases would all still be administered PCR tests, adding that the decision was in line with the guidelines issued by World Health Organization (WHO).