TAXILA: Thirty-five more positive cases of Covid-19 surfaced in Taxila, the highest single-day spike, taking the city’s tally to 111.

A patient also died on Tuesday, taking the death toll to six.

According to the health authorities, three doctors, two Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) officials and a station house officer (SHO) are among the new patients. Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Faheem said: “A 72-year-old man from Ghazi Kohli died of the disease at a private hospital in Rawalpindi.”

Deputy District Officer (health) Dr Sara Qadeer confirmed that positive cases kept escalating in Taxila.

“Among the newly detected cases are three doctors, including two female doctors from a public sector hospital, and an acquaintance of theirs; one woman and her seven family members, residents of Officers Colony. Five of a family, residents of Shah Wali Colony, a woman and two of her female family members from Riasatabad, a man and three of his family members from New Officers Colony.”

The SHO Taxila has been home quarantined at his native town in Jhelum.

Health authorities also collected samples of his subordinate staff and other police officials who were in contact with him during the last few days.

Their samples have been sent to the laboratory for testing.

Some officials of the police station were also home quarantined, Dr Qadeer said.

Furthermore, according to sources, two Iesco officials, including a lineman, tested positive during at Teshil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital from where one of them was shifted to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) and the other home quarantined.

THQ focal person for Covid-19 Dr Amjad confirmed that there were 10 positive patients under treatment at the hospital and all were in stable condition.

Suspected cases in Attock

Though no new positive case was reported in Attock, the number of suspected cases is escalating.

The district administration and health authorities were screening and sampling close contacts and family members of 95 patients who have so far tested positive.

District Focal Person for Covid-19 Dr Asif Arbab Niazi said the tally of suspected patients increased to 1,882.

Samples of 100 people were collected on Tuesday and sent for testing, he said, adding results of 239 people were awaited.

Besides, 18 patients are under treatment at various health centres while 31 are isolated at quarantine centres.

Meanwhile, two persons, who died of Covid-19 in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, were buried in Pindigheb on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2020