Call for increasing COVID tests at int’l airports

Islamabad: The Centre for Diseases Control at the National Institute of Health (NIH) has asked the Central Health Establishment to increase the scope of the ongoing rapid antigen tests (RAT) for coronavirus at the country's international airports.

According to the NIH, the recommendation was made after reviewing the recent global situation of COVID-19, and the directive of Minister for National Health Services Abdul Qadir Patel.

The CDC also asked to conduct rapid antigen tests for Coronavirus in a systematic way, for passengers from different countries. The initiative will ensure vigilance, surveillance, and monitoring at points of entry to rapidly detect infected cases.

RATs for COVID-19 are being conducted on a random basis as a measure to monitor disease activity.

The NIH detected the first case of Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1 in Pakistan on May 9, 2022.

According to it, the new sub-variant is causing an increasing number of cases in different countries.