GUJAR KHAN/RAWALPINDI: Nineteen more relatives of two coronavirus patients tested positive in Gujar Khan after their test reports were released on Monday, Chief Executive Officer Health Rawalpindi Dr Sohail Chaudhry said.

The new cases were close relatives of two Pakistanis who had returned from the UK and France. A woman, who had returned to Ferozaal village from France had tested positive and is still under treatment at a Rawalpindi hospital.

According to Dr Sohail Chaudhry, seven of her family members had also contracted coronavirus.

Another patient was an 86-year-old man who had returned from UK and died in a hospital in Rawalpindi. He was buried in his native village Parian Thathi union council last week.

As many as 12 family members of the deceased man tested positive. All patients had been shifted to Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Captain retired Anwarul Haq reached Gujar Khan after confirmation of new cases and visited a quarantine centre. He also visited Ferozaal village and issued necessary instructions to the relevant authorities.

Four more positive cases in Pindi

Four more patients, who are members of the Tableeghi Jamaat, tested positive for Covid-19, taking the tally to 93.

In Rawalpindi, the four members of the Tableeghi Jamaat, who had been quarantined, were shifted to the hospital after they tested positive for coronavirus, Dr Sohail Chaudhry told Dawn.

He said there were 69 confirmed cases till Sunday and now the total number has increased to 93 with the addition of 24 cases.

Mr Chaudhry said four patients were discharged from Rawalpindi Institute of Urology after they recovered. At present, there are 236 patients quarantined in Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, the chief executive officer health regretted that profiteers were not hesitating to create an artificial shortage of essential items.

He pointed out that sanitisers were being sold at higher rates and some local manufacturers were supplying substandard mixtures in the markets.

Mr Chaudhry also said medical officers were in the dire need of N-95 masks that were earlier available in the open market for Rs200 but are now being sold at an exorbitant price of Rs2,000 to Rs3,000.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2020