Authorities from health and allied departments have also warned in this regard that if people would not follow the SOPs, the cases may increase quickly.
Monitoring Desk –
Prime Minister Imran Khan has warned the nation that cities with high pollution levels may face another wave of coronavirus in the coming months of winter season.
The prime minister expressed these views on Monday while talking to the Clean Green Index Awards ceremony in Islamabad.
He said that during the two months of October and November temperature falls and polluted cities experience smog.
He further said that the number of corona cases is rising in the country and the cities like Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Gujranwala might face a second wave of coronavirus as these cities are much exposed to pollution. We are monitoring the situation and hope that the case may not increase speedily, he added.
He also said that in winter season pollution stays in the air for a longer time causing diseases of different types.
He had also cautioned the public earlier in this month of following the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to avoid the expected second spike in the corona cases.
National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) Chairperson and Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar had also informed the masses a few days back that rate of the spread of COVID-19 cases had increased to 2.37 percent making it the highest positivity rate in more than 50 days. He had also advised the public to follow precautionary measures to stop the spread of the virus.
Authorities from health and allied departments have also warned in this regard that if people would not follow the SOPs, the cases may increase quickly.
They have also cautioned that the diseases like flu and influenza become more active and contagious once the temperature decreases.
They have also warned that any ignorance on the part of the people might cause the spread of the virus pushing the country into an India or West like situation
A day before, President Dr Arif Alvi, keeping in view the recent increase in corona cases, had suggested the nation to follow the SOPs more seriously.
In a video message, he said that the corona case had decreased to a great extent in Pakistan but the country was still not out of the crisis. In this scenario, everybody should strictly observe the SOPs to curb this outbreak fully, he added.
He said that June 14 marked the highest cases 6,825 so far and they dropped to 185 on August 31. Now, that number was increasing again as it had touched the toll of 700 cases a day, he added.
He said the government had to curtail the effects of COVID-19 through smart lockdown and, at the same time, it had to ensure the business activity.
He also said that Pakistan had defeated this virus once but the only thing that was needed the most at this time was to observe the precautions for a few more months to make Pakistan corona free.
He advised the people to follow the SOPs by wearing masks, washing hands and keeping social distance. He also suggested not to attend gatherings and parties and avoid hugging to stop the transmission of the disease.
