A student wearing a facemask walks by a closed school sealed by authorities after some  staffers and students tested positive for the Covid-19 in Islamabad. Photo: AFP/file

 ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad District Health Officer (DHO) has recommended sealing of five more schools following the detection of COVID-19 among 15 persons, including staff and students.

In a letter to the city administration, the DHO suggested the immediate closure of educational institutions. Schools should be kept closed until further instructions, the health official proposed.

It is pertinent to mention here that over 21 COVID-19 cases have been reported from seven different educational institutions in the last three days in the federal capital.

ncoc defers decision to close schools

Earlier today, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) deferred the decision to close schools in the country amid the fifth wave of coronavirus.

A statement issued after the NCOC meeting said, 'The decision regarding educational institutions will be taken on the basis of positive cases data of various institutions, for which mass testing is being done in educational institutions.

NCOC discussed pandemic curve chart data, national vaccine strategy and disease spread across the country and decided to implement new protocols in cities with positivity rate of 10% and above.

The session was presided over by Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar and National Coordinator Major General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal and was virtually attended by Dr Faisal Sultan, SAPM on Health.

The provincial health and education ministers also attended the meeting virtually and explained the steps being taken to implement non-drug interventions (NPIs) and COVID-19 SOPs in view of the spike in coronavirus cases.

In addition, global and regional trends in the Omicron edition were also discussed during the session, which was called after the national positivity ratio rose to alarming levels.

"Keeping in view the prevalence of the new disease, a new set of NPIs were presented and discussed with the provinces," the NCOC statement said, adding, "After a consultation process with all the stakeholders, the provinces will be able to see the NPIs in the next 48 hours." will implement the new set of