ISLAMABAD, Dec 31 (APP): The citizens on Thursday were advised by the government to avoid outdoor celebrations on the occasion of New Year night and follow non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) or safety guidelines to prevent contracting Coronavirus.

As per the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) update 58 people had succumbed to the deadly virus with 2,475 infected in the past 24 hours.

The disease spread was not shrinking rather observing a persistent increase where public complacency in observing NPIs could further aggravate the situation.

The public was advised to avoid unnecessary gatherings and celebrations resulting increased human exposure and interaction as virus transmissibility was maximum in such positions.

The New Year celebration in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad was observed with fireworks at mega shopping malls or tourist attractions, aerial firing, dinners at restaurants and parties organized at various places.

Most of the youngsters take to their motorbikes and cars for wheelies and rounds of major thoroughfares in jubilation of entering into a new decade of time.

However, due to the outbreak of an unprecedented COVID-19 contagion any public gathering would invite an insurmountable risk of increased human infections and deaths at the hands of the contagion.

The Islamabad Capital Territory Police and Rawalpindi Police had directed the officials concerned to ensure effective deployment to contain all sorts of risks and unnecessary activities raging violence or jeopardizing public life and health.

NPIs (alternate measures to treat the disease without medical treatment) were the only remedy till the inoculation of COVID-19 vaccine.

However, public cooperation and compliance on the celebration night was imperative to contain uptick in the disease spread.