RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: While the number of Covid-19 patients continued increasing across the country and in the capital city, the situation in Rawalpindi seemed different as data compiled by hospitals showed the number of positive cases decreasing during the last three days.

According to official figures presented to Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood on Saturday, 29 people tested positive and one patient died while 185 people were discharged from hospitals on Saturday.

On Friday, 52 confirmed patients had been reported, on Thursday only 26 while on Tuesday the number of confirmed patients was 18.

Health officials told Dawn that 400 new patients were waiting for their results but the number of confirmed patients received from laboratories decreased during the last three days.

They said the provincial government established two laboratories at Benazir Bhutto Hospital and Holy Family Hospital but majority of the samples were sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Capital witnesses rise in number of patients as well as violation of SOPs

When contacted, District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Suhail Ahmed said the report was prepared on the basis of results received from the NIH.

The patient, who died at Ripah Hospital Islamabad on Saturday, was 54 years old and a resident of Tench Bhatta.

Meanwhile, the total number of confirmed patients in Rawalpindi district reached 2760 while 108 people have so far died and 1436 patients discharged from four hospitals.

At present, out of the 1216 confirmed patients in the district 820 are isolated in their houses and the others are under treatment at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology, Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital.

Apart from this, 1214 suspected patients were also brought to three hospitals of Rawalpindi and their samples have been sent to the laboratories but the results are awaited.

Patients in Islamabad increase sharply

As the number of patients increased sharply in the federal capital, so did the violation of SOPs.

Officials said 377 more positive cases were reported while four patients died in the capital on Saturday.

The tally of the confirmed cases rose to 4323 from 3946 while 386 patients have so far recovered and 49 died.

The four deaths were reported from G-11, I-9 and Sohan.

Most of the positive cases were reported from Loi Bher (304) followed by 251 from I-10, 244 from G-9, 206 from Tarlai, 201 from G-8, 205 from G-7, 188 from Bhara Kahu, 221 from I-8, 177 from G-6, 169 from G-10, 156 from G-13, 126 from Sohan, 130 from G-11, 117 from Rawat115 from F-6, 109 from E-11, 105 from F-11 and 102 from I-9.

As per the data prepared till June 5, 67pc Covid-19 patients were male and 33pc female. Besides, 1029 patients were in the age group of 30-39, 771pc in 20-29, 678pc in 40-49, 528pc in age group of 50-59, 316pc in 60-69, 262pc in 10-19, 239pc in 1-9, 89pc in 70-79 and 34pc in aged 80 years and above.

The attack rate of the virus per 10,000 people of the age group of 50-59 was 48.85pc followed by 44.32 in the age group of 30-39, 40.33pc in the age group of 40-49, 39.47pc in the age group of 60-69, 24.70pc in the age group of 70-79, 21.76pc in the age group of 20-29, 21.23pc in the age group of 80 and above, 5.57pc in the age group of 10-19 and 4.46pc in the age group of 0-9.

The overall attack rate of the virus per 10,000 people in the capital is 19.71.

Till June 5, 3946 positive cases had been reported in the capital, DHO Dr Zaeem Zia said.

Out of the total 3946 positive cases, 1071 samples were collected by the DHO, he said.

Samples of 185 contacts were collected and sent to the NIH. He said 402 patients had been isolated at their homes and their 185 contacts quarantined.

So far, 629 patients have recovered and sent home, the DHO added.

On Saturday, the capital administration caught dozens of people roaming around markets, commercial centres and roads without any precautionary measures, and imposed fines worth Rs12,200 on them, officials said, adding the capital administration has already made wearing of masks obligatory for people outside their houses.

Moreover, 19 shops were sealed in different areas of the capital over violation of the SOPs. Besides, fines worth Rs39,500 were also imposed on dozens of shops.

Two industrial units and four workshops were also sealed. The violation of social distancing was found in 13 private and public vehicles and as a result fines were imposed on the drivers.

Minister tests positive

Provincial Minister for Revenue Malik Mohammad Anwar belonging to Pindigheab tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.

Two drivers of Mr Anwar also tested positive.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Attock district increased to 197 as three new cases were reported during the last 24 hours. District Attock focal person for Covid-19, Dr Asif Arbab Niazi has confirmed that the minister and his staff members were isolated at home.

According to the data released by the health authorities here on Friday, out of 197 confirmed cases 61 have so far recovered and discharged from isolation wards as well as quarantine centers.

According to the focal person, among new three new positive cases, one belongs to tehsil Hazro, one to Pindigheb and the last one had come from abroad.

Meanwhile, Attock Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ali Annan Qamar on Saturday distributed face masks in Attock, Qutba, Hazro and Hassanabdal.

Speaking on the occasion he urged the people to strictly adhere to the SOPs issued by the government to control the spread of Covid-19.

The DC said masks had been declared essential for traders and the public and legal action would be taken against those who violate this condition.

— Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2020