Islamabad, May 23, 2020 (PPI-OT): Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Saturday told the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) that its study had found a decline in COVID-19 transmission rate related to rise in temperature and humidity. The PMD official briefed the NCOC meeting headed by Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar through video link about the findings of its research conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. He added that a deep study of the pandemic outbreak pattern showed that the coronavirus spread mostly occurred in the mid latitude which had cold and dry weather.
No single case was reported in the tropical belt during the first three weeks of the contagion rise. “Increase in temperature from 3-5 degrees mainly beyond 30 degree and mean humidity over 50 degree would slow down the virus transmission,” he noted. The Forum was also apprised about the testing regime adopted at the airports to contain the epidemic spread. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf said that there was 90 percent local transmission of COVID-19 at the moment and only ten percent were foreign induced.
He said there was no testing done of the air travellers at the airports in many of the countries rather they were putting the masses under self-quarantine. The Forum made detailed discussion on the issue with the provinces where the provincial chief secretaries agreed to the idea of abolishing testing on arrival of the passengers and agreed for a strict and proper screening of the passengers arriving at the airports. The Forum including provincial chief secretaries condoled the demise of the passengers of PIA aircraft crashed in Karachi.
For more information, contact:
Principal Information Officer,
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +92-51-9252323, +92-51-9252324
Fax: +92-51-9252325, +92-51-9252326
Email: piopid@gmail.com
Website: www.pid.gov.pk