ISLAMABAD: The International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) suspended activities until Monday to disinfect its premises after a Covid-19 case was detected.

A notification issued on Tuesday stated that IIUI would remain closed until tomorrow (Thursday) and will reopen on Nov 2, during which time the campus will be disinfected.

University staff told Dawn that the university was closed after a student tested positive for Covid-19, and many other students are being considered suspected patients.

The university has not yet decided on whether to vacate the hostels, staff said, and further decisions will be made based on the number of students and staff who have contracted the disease.

University management says samples from close contacts being collected, random testing also in progress

The confirmed patient has been isolated, and all his contacts have been asked to quarantine.

Students living in hostels have been told to restrict their movements and stay in their rooms, and to avoid gathering with other hostel residents.

Capital administration and police have also been informed for further necessary and precautionary measures, they said. The District Health Office has been asked to test students and staff.

Administration and police officials said health teams are collecting samples from suspected patients and random testing is also in progress.

They said all the suspected patients have been separated until their reports are received.

Arrangements have also been made to avoid entry and exit movements by students and staff until testing procedures are complete.

Islamabad reported 169 cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday as well as one death.

There were 3,249 tests carried out in the last 24 hours.

The capital has reported 19,181 confirmed cases of Covid-19, of which 213 patients have died and 17,501 have recovered.

There are 1,415 active cases in the city, and the number is gradually increasing, officials said.

There were 11 cases reported from DHA II, followed by 10 from F-11, nine from Bahria Town, eight each from G-6, G-14, F-6 and G-8, seven from I-8, six each from G-10 and Bhara Kahu, five each from Quaid-e-Azam University, the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Diseases Treatment Centre, I-9, G-9, G-13, E-9 and Chatha Bakhtawar, four each from Sarfraz Town and I-10, three each from River Garden, Koral Chowk, G-7, G-11, F-10, D-12, Chungi No 26 and Alipur, two each from Rawal Town, PWD, Pakistan Town, Ghouri Town, Banigala, Shakrial, Soan Garden, Media Town, Naval Anchorge, H-13, I-13, I-14, G-5, E-11, E-16, and F-8.

Rawalpindi

Two patients died and 41 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, while 33 patients recovered.

A 22-year-old woman who lived in Shamsabad, who was brought to Holy Family Hospital (HFH) on Oct 26, died late Monday night.

A resident of Gulzar-i-Quaid who was admitted to Kulsoom International Hospital on Oct 26 died early Tuesday morning.

Rawalpindi has reported 7,507 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 315 deaths and 7,013 recoveries. There are still 339 people awaiting the results of their Covid-19 tests.

A total of 30 confirmed patients are admitted to HFH, of which eight are from outside the district, while 149 patients are isolated in their homes and are being checked on by district health authority teams.

Local administrations have also kept 492 in quarantine while their results are awaited.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn 8,966 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Rawalpindi division so far, including 7,507 in Rawalpindi, 653 in Attock, 508 in Jhelum and 298 in Chakwal.

He said 8,378 patients have recovered – 7,013 in Rawalpindi, 619 in Attock, 493 in Jhelum and 253 in Chakwal. A total of 384 people have died, he added, including 315 in Rawalpindi, 39 in Chakwal, 21 in Attock and nine in Jhelum.

“The number of patients in Rawalpindi is not increasing and there is no alarming situation,” Mr Mehmood said, adding: “We only have 22 patients in HFH from the district, while the other eight belong to Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2020