Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar raised an alarm saying that the number of Covid patients in hospitals was increasing rapidly.

“Rapid build-up starting to take place in Covid patients hospital inflow, as well as patients in critical care,” he said in a tweet on Thursday adding that the Indian variant had caused devastation in countries in the region.

Rapid build up starting to take place in covid patients hospital inflow, as well as patients in critical care. This indian variant has caused devastation in countries in the region. Please follow sop's and get vaccinated as soon as possible. Do not risk your own & others lives.

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) July 15, 2021

The NCOC chief urged people to follow SOPs and get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“Do not risk your own and others’ lives,” he said.

As many as 47 more deaths were reported across the country with 2,545 new positive cases.

According to NCOC, 48,910 tests were conducted while positivity ratio remained 5.2 per cent.

The death toll due to pandemic in the country has reached 22,689.