Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza on Sunday warned citizens to take preventive measures against the coronavirus pandemic seriously, cautioning that "what happens over the next few days depends on our actions, whether we take preventive measures or not".

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, he said: "The last 24 hours were heavy, 14 people died. We warned you this would happen," and added that this was why the government was emphasising on the importance of social distancing, staying at home and ensuring proper hand hygiene.

"Coronavirus is a preventable problem and its spread can be stopped if we take proper preventive measures," he said

Talking about the coronavirus situation in the country, Mirza said that nearly half of Pakistan's cases were locally transmitted. He revealed that some 17,332 people were present in quarantine centres across the country out of which 18 per cent tested positive.

The SAPM said that the fatality rate of the novel coronavirus in Pakistan had increased to 1.7 pc after Saturday's deaths while the global fatality rate of the virus was 6.1pc.

Expressing disappointment over "misuse" of N-95 masks, Mirza said that "those who don't have the slightest use of them (N-95 masks) are also wearing them."

He said that the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) was preparing an awareness video which would be released soon but urged people not to spread misinformation on the basis of "incomplete information".