ISLAMABAD: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan on Sunday made it mandatory for all passengers on domestic flights to wear face masks due to an uptick in the coronavirus infection rate in the country.
According to official statistics, Pakistan witnessed 382 new COVID-19 cases while recording a positivity ratio of 2.85 percent in the last 24 hours.
Two people lost their lives to the respiratory disease during the same period while 87 coronavirus patients were said to be in critical condition in different parts of the country.
“With immediate effect, as desired by the Competent Forum, mask wearing will be mandatory onboard domestic flights within Pakistan,” the CAA said in a notification. “Remaining COVID-19 guidelines applicable on domestic air travel within Pakistan remain unchanged.”
Last week, the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC), Pakistan’s main pandemic response body, told people not to panic since the daily positivity rate of coronavirus infections was stable in all major cities.
However, the authorities have been urging all eligible individuals not to delay their booster shots since it is the only way to curb spread of the virus and keep the disease under control.
Officials have also assured people that the NCOC is closely monitoring the situation and will take appropriate measures to curb the disease whenever needed.
