RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: The district administration on Friday lifted the lockdown in three Covid-19 hotspots after two weeks while only 10 patients tested positive in the city.

Dhoke Khabba, Gulistan Colony and Range Road, Lane No 4, PIA Colony, had been locked down on July 10.

“We de-sealed these localities and have recommended two wards of Wah Cantonment and union council Sara-i-Kala for lockdown from July 25 but now it is likely to be enforced after Eidul Azha,” said Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Anwarul Haq while talking to Dawn.

He said there was no plan to seal more areas till Eidul Azha. However, if the provincial government issued any notification the lockdown will be enforced.

No plan to seal more areas till Eidul Azha, says DC

He said the number of patients was reducing in the district but a survey of the union councils had been started to identify new areas with more patients.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed patients in the district reached 6,468 while 274 people have died of the virus and 5,737 others discharged from four hospitals. At present, 457 confirmed patients are under treatment in hospitals and 239 others isolated in their homes.

Apart from this, 109 suspected patients were brought to hospitals and their samples have been sent to laboratories but the results are awaited.

The local administrations also keep 6,590 people on quarantine who had been the close contacts of the confirmed patients. As many as 10 healthcare teams have been deployed to check the patients isolated in their houses.

The district administration on Wednesday sealed six shops and imposed fines amounting to Rs32,000 on the violators of standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Total 27 vehicles were impounded and the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) imposed Rs26,000 fines on public transporters for violating the SOPs. Nine vehicle owners were issued warnings.

Islamabad

Officials said 44 people tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday compared to 21 cases on Thursday.

During the last 24 hours, 2,351 tests were conducted. Eight of the cases were reported from Loi Bher, four from F-11, three each from G-7, F-6, G-8 and Alipur, two each from Bhara Kahu, Tarlai, Sohan, F-8, one each from G-9, I-10, F-6, Rawat, F-17 and H-8. Addresses of six patients were not known.

So far, 14,722 positive cases have been reported in the capital and out of these 12,023 have recovered and 162 passed away. At present, there are 2,537 active cases in the capital.

Attock

The number of patients in Attock increased to 558 as four new cases emerged during the last 24 hours.

According to district health authorities, one person died of Covid-19 on Friday. The deceased was identified as a 48-year-old man and a resident of Dhoke Milan in Pindigheb. He was under treatment at the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) where he contracted the virus. District focal person for Covid-19 Dr Asif Arbab Niazi said two of the new patients belonged to Hazro, one each to Fatehjang and Attock city. He said the number of suspected cases also increased to 3,973.

Jhelum

As many as 14 more people tested positive in the district of Jhelum on Friday. According to District Health Department focal person Dr Mian Mazhar Hayat, 3,517 people have been screened for Covid-19, of them 445 have tested positive. He said about 400 patients have recovered so far. Moreover, 14 doctors had also tested positive for the virus and 13 of them have recovered and resumed their work.

Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal and Hamid Asghar

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2020