RAWALPINDI/Islamabad: The garrison city reported 55 new cases of Covid-19 and 80 recoveries on Wednesday.

In addition, security personnel have been deployed in eight localities, including Gulzar-i-Quaid, Khayaban-i-Sir Syed, Dhoke Ali Akbar, Kotha Kalan, Morgah and Takhtpari, as well as Narankari Bazaar and Bara Market, to enforce a lockdown to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

No deaths of Covid-19 patients have been reported in four main hospitals in Rawalpindi in the last two days.

The total number of cases reported in Rawalpindi district has reached 5,815, with 243 dead and 3,136 patients recovered. At present, 2,436 patients in all seven tehsils of the district are under treatment including 933 admitted to the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU), Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and 1,503 under home isolation.

Another 1,739 suspected patients have been admitted to RIU, HFH, BBH and the District Headquarters Hospital and their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Health and HFH and BBH laboratories for testing.

Garrison city sees no deaths in four main hospitals in the last two days

Although Wednesday reported fewer new cases than preceding days, the number of patients in Rawalpindi district is increasing in comparison to other districts in the division. Rawalpindi has reported 5,815 patients in the last four months, while Attock reported 429, Jhelum 381 and Chakwal 220.

Also on Wednesday, the district administration sealed 27 shops because staff were not wearing masks or taking other precautions. Visitors to markets were also seen violating measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus, including not wearing masks.

Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Secretary Mehar Ghulam Abbas inspected bus terminals and public transport vehicles and impounded two vehicles, issued notices to 38 vehicle owners and imposed Rs45,000 in fines for violations in the district.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that the government’s ‘smart lockdowns’ in big cities in the province had brought positive results, with fewer cases reported than in the last month.

He said that the provincial government has finalised standard operating procedures for cattle markets ahead of Eidul Azha so vendors and buyers of sacrificial animals can practice social distancing.

Islamabad

A Covid-19 patient died in Islamabad on Wednesday and another 137 people have tested positive for the disease.

Capital administration officials said that the capital’s death toll has reached 129, with 12,912 Covid-19 cases have been reported in the city. There have been 7,850 recoveries reported so far, bringing active cases to 4,933.

The deceased patient was a woman between the ages of 90 and 99 who lived in I-10 but died outside the capital, officials said.

They said that 1,736 tests have been conducted in Islamabad in the last 24 hours.

More casualties in Attock

Three people died of Covid-19 in Attock no Wednesday, bringing the total number of fatalities to 20.

According to district health authorities, two of the deceased were from Fatehjang tehsil and one was from Hazro tehsil. They were all men aged 63, 41 and 80.

One new case was reported in the district; Attock has now reported 429 cases of Covid-19. Attock’s focal person for Covid-19 Dr Asif Arbab Niazi said the patient is from Attock city. So far, 235 patients have recovered.

He said that the test results of 341 suspected patients are awaited. There are 11 patients being treated in various hospitals while 137 are isolated in their homes.

In Taxila, three more cases brought the total to 356.

Deputy District Officer Health Dr Sara Qadeer said that all the cases are from urban areas in Wah and are under home isolation. She said 18 patients are admitted to local hospitals and 90 have recovered so far.

Another 230 patients are isolated in their homes and health authorities are monitoring their condition, she said. Dr Qadeer said all the new cases are of local transmission. The last death reported was on June 24. — Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2020