RAWALPINDI: Three people died of Covid-19 on Sunday and nine more were diagnosed with the disease, while nine confirmed patients have recovered.

A 52-year-old woman who lived in B-Block Satellite Town was brought to Holy Family Hospital on Oct 10 but died Sunday morning, as did 68-year-old woman who lived in Kallar Syedan and was brought to Fauji Foundation Hospital on Oct 10.

An 80-year-old woman who lived in Bilal Colony was brought to Quaid-i-Azam International Hospital on Oct 10 and died late Saturday night.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn there has been an increase in Covid-19 cases and the district administration has been told to enforce standard operating procedure in order to limit the spread, or action would be taken against negligent officials.

He said that there are fears that there could be a spike in the region, and the government has made all the necessary arrangements to manage patients and limit the spread of Covid-19.

“All the marriage halls and restaurants are being checked properly and people have been asked to beware of the virus and take safety measures,” he said.

He added that the district administrarion has fined three marriage halls and five restaurants in Taxila and Saddar, respectively, Rs75,000.

A total of 7,182 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Rawalpindi district, with 298 deaths and 6,705 recoveries.

There are 317 suspected patients isolated by the district administration awaiting their test results.

There are 180 active cases in the district, including 16 patients admitted to the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology. Nine of the patients are from within the district and seven are from elsewhere.

Another 164 people are isolated in their homes, many after getting tested at private laboratories.

Health authority officials are visiting on patients in selected areas.

Local administrations have said 605 people are quarantined.

According to data from the Rawalpindi division, there have been 8,611 cases of Covid-19 since March, including 7,182 in Rawalpindi, 634 in Attock, 497 in Jhelum and 298 in Chakwal.

So far, 8,051 people have recovered – 6,705 in Rawalpindi, 609 in Attock, 485 in Jhelum and 253 in Chakwal. A total of 366 people have also died; 298 in Rawalpindi, 39 in Chakwal, 20 in Attock and nine in Jhelum.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2020