ISLAMABAD: Another 36 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the capital, the single biggest increase in the city since the outbreak began. The total number of cases in Islamabad is now 297.

Capital administration and police officials told Dawn that teams involved in surveillance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Islamabad have noticed that people living in Taramri and Shahzad Town are not practicing social distancing, which has resulted in the spread of the disease among them.

Social distancing is also not being practiced in shops that have opened with the capital administration’s permission, they said, which may spread the virus among people further.

The teams have asked senior police and administration officials in these areas to enforce social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and strict legal action should be taken against those who ignore or do not follow SOPs.

Large crowds have also been seen in markets and shopping centres, which is alarming, they said.

With 36 new cases, tally in Islamabad reaches 297; Bhara Kahu, Tarlai and I-10 considered hotspots

The issue needs to be addressed immediately and an advisory should be issued in this regard.

Bhara Kahu, Tarlai and I-10 are the capital’s Covid-19 hotspots, the officials said, with 32, 31 and 30 cases reported from these areas, respectively.

There have been 16 confirmed cases in Rawat, 15 in G-8, 13 in G-10, 11 in G-7 and 10 in I-8.

Bhara Kahu also has 125 suspected cases, followed by 97 in Phulgran, 90 in Tarlai, 85 in Shah Allah Ditta, 68 in G-8, 67 in G-7, 66 in F-7, 63 in Kuri, 57 in G-6 and 51 in G-5.

A total of 91 cases have been reported in the 31 to 45 age group, 54 in 46 to 60 age group, 43 from the 21 to 30 age group, 29 from the 61 to 80 age group, 25 from the 11 to 20 age group, 12 from the zero to 10 age group and four from the 81 and above age group.

Deaths from Covid-19 have been reported in G-13, F-10, Tarlai and Rawat.

There have been 56, 50 and 61 confirmed cases reported consecutively in the capital in the last three weeks, along with 31, 661 and 692 suspected cases.

A paramedic at the Capital Development Authority Hospital has tested positive. She has been isolated at her home in Rawalpindi, which has been declared a quarantine facility.

On directives from the capital administration, 28 other staffers from the hospital have been tested - including 16 doctors and paramedics - and their reports are awaited.

Prayer congregations

President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday also reported a violation of standard operating procedures (SOP) at a mosque on Lehtrar Road to the deputy commissioner and Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Dr Alvi said on Twitter that he visited four mosques in the Lehtrar Road area and witnessed SOP violations at one of them. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat responded on the same platform saying that the administration acted immediately to implement SOPs there and issued directives to officials checking the violation, he said.

The administration and police officials said that SOPs regarding prayer congregations are being observed at more or less all mosques other than Lal Masjid. There are currently 233 students, including eight minors, and eight teachers, inside the mosque.

They said all the prayer congregations at Lal Masjid are violating SOPs introduced to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The concerned departments, including the police, have asked the administration to negotiate with Maulana Abdul Aziz to persuade him to move Jamia Hafsa to G-7/3-2 from Lal Masjid.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2020