ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: At least 227 more people were diagnosed with Covid-19 on Thursday and four people have died from the disease.

Capital administration officials said that Islamabad has reported comparatively fewer new cases in the last three days, with 307 new cases on Tuesday, 264 on Wednesday and 227 on Thursday. There have also been 13 deaths during this time.

The total number of Covid-19 cases in the capital has reached 11,710. There have been 119 deaths and 5,839 recoveries, and the capital now has 5,752 active cases.

There are on average 3,000 Covid-19 tests carried out in Islamabad every day, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat said, including 60 tests from each of the city’s sealed localities. There have been 3,000 tests a day since Eidul Fitr, he said, after the coronavirus began to spread rapidly among residents.

Mr Shafqaat said that lockdowns in 10 areas of the capital and a few other localities has led to a reduction in the spread of the virus and therefore in fewer daily cases. Standard operating procedures (SOP) to limit the spread are also being enforced, and so far the administration has imposed Rs177,300 in fines on individuals who are not wearing masks or practicing social distancing.

Rawalpindi sees surge in new cases compared to previous days

Similarly, 96 restaurants and 422 shops have been sealed for SOP violations, as have 220 workshops and nine industrial units. Shopkeepers have been fined Rs1.2 million in total.

Administration officials said that 307 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 on June 23. In response, District Health Office teams traced 601 of their contacts, took samples from 370 0f them and sent those to the National Institute of Health (NIH). On June 24, when 264 new cases were confirmed, the District Health Office traced 543 of the patients’ contacts and took samples from 240 of them to send to NIH.

Also on Thursday, four residents of the capital died of Covid-19. They were from Tarlai, Alipur and Bari Imam, while the address of one of the deceased is not known. Two of the patients died in hospitals in the capital and the other two were in districts outside the city.

There were 18 cases reported from F-7, 17 from Bahria Town, 16 from G-15, 15 from Bhara Kahu, 13 from E-7, 12 from F-8, 11 from Margalla Town, 10 each from Korang Town and F-11, eight each from G-6, F-5 and F-10, seven from E-11, six from the Defence Housing Authority, five each from G-5, G-8 and Chak Shahzad, four each from Sohan, I-9, I-10, I-14, H-13 and G-10, three each from P.W.D., H-11, G-7 and F-6, two each from I-8, G-9 and G-13, and one each from the National Police Foundation, Golra, Ghouri Town, G-11 and D-17.

Rawalpindi

A total of 95 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Rawalpindi on Thursday, while 123 patients recovered and no deaths were reported.

The garrison city has now reported 5,420 cases of Covid-19 since the outbreak began, with 241 dead and 2,717 patients recovered. There are now 2,462 active cases including 917 patients being treated in hospitals, 273 patients from other districts and 1,545 patients isolated in their homes.

The results of 1,784 suspected patients admitted to four hospitals in Rawalpindi city are still awaited from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Benazir Bhutto Hospital and Holy Family Hospital laboratories. Of these, 371 people have been waiting for their test results for the last four days.

In addition, 5,600 people have been quarantined in their homes for two weeks after they were identified as contacts of confirmed patients.

A total of 2,232 passengers have also arrived in Rawalpindi onboard various flights - 516 of whom are from Rawalpindi district. At least 493 of the passengers from the district have tested negative for Covid-19, while the results of 23 are still awaited, and 1,492 of the remaining passengers have also tested negative while the results of 224 are awaited.

Also on Thursday, 19 shops were sealed in and around Raja Bazaar and fines totalling Rs75,000 were imposed on shopkeepers for violating standard operating procedures (SOP) issued to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Regional Transport Authority Secretary Mehar Ghulam Abbas also impounded 41 public transport vehicles and imposed Rs54,000 in fines on owners for violating SOPs.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that the number of Covid-19 patients in Rawalpindi division is decreasing and no deaths were reported on Thursday.

However, he admitted that more new cases were confirmed on Thursday than in the preceding two days, but said he hoped the situation would improve if people follow the advice of health experts and take precautions.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2020