RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: Islamabad saw another record increase in Covid-19 cases on Wednesday after 151 people tested positive for the disease. Two patients have also died.

At least 1,879 people have now been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the capital, and 19 people have died, officials in the capital administration said.

They said that the two most recent deceased patients lived in F-7 and G-13. Both of them were hospitalised and their condition had been serious for the last few days.

The officials said that the coronavirus is spreading all over the capital, with 17 cases reported from Defence Housing Authority – Phase I, 12 from G-9/2, 11 from G-10/1, nine from F-11/1, eight from I-8, seven each from H-13, G-8/4 and G-7/2, six each from Chattha Bakhtawar and Bhara Kahu, five from I-9/4, four each from Taramri, F-8 and G-9/1, three each from Ghouri Town and G-8/1, two each from G-11/4, E-11.3, D-12/1, Faizabad, Sohan, Bahria Town Phase II, Shahzad Town, G-10/3, F-6/1 and H-8/2 and one each from G-15, Bari Imam, Police Foundation, Tarnol, Orchard Scheme, E-7, G-6/2, F-7/2, PWD, Rawal Town, CBR Town and Korang Town.

District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia said that the District Health Office has traced 151 contacts of 87 cases reported earlier this week. So far, 76 people have been tested for Covid-19 and their results will be received from the National Institute of Health.

There are currently 112 patients in eight different hospitals in the capital, officials said. Of these, 36 are Islamabad residents and the rest are from other districts. In addition, 61 patients are stable and 40 are receiving oxygen as they are in critical condition. There are 11 people on ventilators.

Hospitals in the capital have 5,692 beds and 223 ventilators available, of which 430 beds and 90 ventilators have been allocated to Covid-19 cases.

A total of 741 suspected and 24 confirmed patients have been quarantined and isolated in 11 quarantine facilities in the capital. The reports of the suspected patients are awaited from NIH.

The officials said there are 1,185 beds available at 20 quarantine centres in the capital.

Eight dead in Rawalpindi

Eight people died of Covid-19 in Rawalpindi district on Wednesday while 57 more people tested positive for the disease and 44 were discharged after recovering.

A 50-year-old woman who lived in C-Block, Satellite Town, was brought to the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) on the morning of May 27 and died the same day.

A 65-year-old man who lived in Amarpura and was brought to Holy Family Hospital (HFH) early Wednesday morning also died the same day.

A 50-year-old woman who lived in Dheri Hassanabad died at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), where she was brought in critical condition.

A 56-year-old man from Jhole Dhoke Khana in Sakhu Gujar Khan also died at BBH, as did a 69-year-old man who lived in PIA Colony and was brought to the hospital on Wednesday.

A 60-year-old man who lived in Sheron Colony in Kotha Kalan union council was brought to RIU on May 23 and died on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

A 71-year-old man who lived on Siyal Chakri Road and was brought to BBH on May 18 died late Tuesday night with breathing complications.

A 40-year-old resident of Bohar Bazaar was brought to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Tuesday morning. He died late at night.

There have now been 2,234 Covid-19 cases in Rawalpindi district, while 86 people have died and 894 have recovered.

At present, 1,254 patients from all the seven tehsils of Rawalpindi - including Gujar Khan, Taxila, Murree, Kotli Sattian, Kalar Syedan and Kahuta - are under treatment including 317 patients in RIU, HFH, BBH and DHQ Hospital, and 957 patients who are isolated in their houses.

Another 766 suspected patients have also been brought to three hospitals in Rawalpindi and their samples have been sent to NIH and the BBH laboratory.

Following the deaths of eight patients who were from inner parts of the garrison city, the district administration was asked to increase fumigation activities. The Rawalpindi Municipal Waste Company carried out spraying and washed roads and streets with chlorinated water.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that the number of patients is increasing. He said that of the 2,588 patients reported in the division’s four districts, 2,234 were from the Rawalpindi district alone.

However, he said it was encouraging that of the 1,125 patients who have recovered in the division, 894 were from Rawalpindi.

He said there is enough room for suspected and confirmed Covid-19 patients in the division, as hospitals in the four districts can admit 5,194 patients.

He said there are 409 people being treated in the main hospitals in the division, while 959 patients without symptoms are isolated in their homes.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2020