ISLAMABAD: The capital administration on Saturday reduced opening hours of business activities, including markets and shops, by three hours as 38 new Covid-19 positive cases were reported during the last four days.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat said all markets and shops except medical stores would be closed at 5pm instead of 8pm. However, restaurants and hotels will remain open only for takeaway and home delivery services.

“It is decided to close the entire city and all activity except those given exemption at 5pm,” he said. The order will come into force with immediate effect and remain in force till May 9.

Meanwhile, samples of 30 suspected patients in Shah Allah Ditta were taken and sent for testing on Saturday, Mr Shafqaat stated, adding that the activity was conducted at Pind Begwal where samples of 50 suspected patients were collected.

The death toll from Covid-19 in the capital increased to six after another hospitalised patient died.

Out of the six, three deceased were natives of the capital while the three others were from outside but admitted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).

Pims spokesperson Dr Wasim Khawaja confirmed the death of another Covid-19 patient and said the 60-year-old was a resident of Rawalpindi.

He was admitted to Pims for the last couple of days and was on a ventilator, he added.

So far, three patients have died of the virus at Pims, including natives of Mohmand tribal district in Khyber Pakhtunkha and Murree, Dr Khawaja said. The native of Murree was a resident of Iqbal Town in Islamabad.

As many as 15 confirmed patients are admitted to Pims and one of them is on a ventilator, he added.

Officials from the capital administration told Dawn that the tally of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the capital had reached 223. However, 29 of these patients have recovered.

The nine new cases were reported from Alipur, Sohan, G-8, G-10, G-11, I-9 and I-10, the officials said.

They said during the last four to five days most of the positive cases have come from urban areas.

The capital also has 27 confirmed Covid-19 patients who are neither natives nor residents of Islamabad. Of these 27 patients, nine are at Pims, two at Polyclinic and 16 in two private hospitals.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2020