Authorities in Pakistan have decided to further tighten restrictions as Covid-19 infections in the country continue to rise, with over 4700 cases reported in the last 24 hours.

According to a report in Dawn, Punjab province remained the worst affected with over 60 percent of total cases in the country coming from the province. On Saturday, it recorded 2823 cases. 

With rising cases, the recorded the highest infections reported in a day in the last nine months. 

Asad Omar, the head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), on Sunday held a meeting with provincial state secretaries to review the Covid situation.  

“Based on continuing increase in disease spread & fast pace at which hospital fill up is taking place, particularly critical covid patients, decided to further tighten restrictions.” he tweeted later. 

In the last few weeks, almost all countries in South Asia saw spikes in cases. In India, the presence of the UK variant, the fast-spreading variant of the virus, was recorded in 18 states. Several neighboring countries also tightened their border regulations. Bangladesh also reported spike in cases.