ISLAMABAD: A suspected Covid-19 patient died at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) while 43 more people were diagnosed with the disease in the capital, taking the tally to 759.

Pims Joint Executive Director Dr Minhajul Siraj told Dawn that the suspected patient was brought to the hospital from Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar and kept at the isolation ward on May 11.

The patient was 55 years old and a resident of Peshawar, Dr Siraj said, adding his samples were sent to National Institute of Health (NIH) but the report was awaited.

He also said 25 staff members of Pims, including doctors and paramedics, had contracted the virus. Three of them, including two doctors, were kept in the hospital while others had been quarantined in their houses, he added.

There are 27 confirmed cases in the isolation ward of the hospital while the two doctors have been isolated in a private ward.

According to an official of Polyclinic, five confirmed cases were isolated there.

Officials of the capital administration said four doctors of a hospital located in Satra Meel in Bhara Kahu were kept in an isolation ward of the hospital after they tested positive.

The tally of the confirmed cases in the capital increased to 759 on Wednesday while 92 patients recovered and six died.

Out of the new 43 positive cases, six were from Loi Bher, five from Sohan, four each from I-14, Rawat, three each from F-11, H-13, G-6, two from Tarlai, and one each from F-10, F-8, G-10, G-11, G-13, G-15, G-7, I-10, I-11, I-8, I-9, Kirpa, and Shah Allah Ditta.

Meanwhile, Samina Alvi, wife of President Dr Arif Alvi, along with prime minister’s special assistant on health Dr Zafar Mirza and his spouse visited the District Health Office (DHO) Islamabad.

District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia briefed them about Covid-19 and steps taken in this regard. Dr Zia informed them that overall the perception of social distancing among people was falling, resulting in huge movement of individuals. Besides, the citizens, especially traders and shop owners, were getting frustrated due to the lockdown.

They were also informed that the District Health Office had limited human resource (doctors, paramedics, field and technical staff) besides shortage of vehicles and personal protection equipment.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2020