ISLAMABAD: The federal capital showed a downward trend in Covid-19 cases during the last seven weeks and health authorities expressed the hope that the cases may further decline.

Meanwhile, 162 cases were reported on Thursday. Besides, 3,500 people, who arrived from abroad and were residing in Islamabad, have been tested and seven of them were found infected.

According to a graph, the positivity in the federal capital was 6.83pc from Nov 22 to Nov 28, 6.15pc from Nov 29 to Dec 5, 5.39pc from Dec 6 to Dec 13, 4.3pc from Dec 21 to Dec 27 and 3.26pc from Jan 4 to Jan 10.

District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia while talking to Dawn expressed the hope that the positivity rate would further decrease in the current week.

He said the number of cases had decreased through contact tracing. At the same time, passengers coming from abroad are being monitored.

Seven of 3,500 people who arrived from abroad tested positive, says official

“We have tested 3,500 passengers who came from abroad and only seven of them were found positive,” he said.

Moreover, 5,264 samples were collected on Wednesday and 162 of them were found positive on Thursday.

Replying to a question, Dr Zia said global trends were increasing but a downward trend was observed in Pakistan.

As cases are increasing globally, so it can increase in Pakistan anytime. If cases started increasing in Islamabad, such a trend can also be observed in other cities as well, he said.

Rawalpindi

The number of Covid-19 patients decreased in the garrison city on Thursday as 21 patients tested positive while one person died of the virus and 34 people recovered and were discharged from hospitals in the district.

Manzoor Ahmed, 71, a resident of Chaklala Scheme-II, was taken to the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology on Dec 30 where he died on Thursday.

At present, 465 active patients are in the district - 68 in hospitals and 397 home isolated. Moreover, 457 patients are waiting for their results.

As many as 11 patients are admitted in Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), nine in Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), eight in Holy Family Hospital (HFH), two in Red Crescent Hospital (RCH), one each in Begum Akhter Rukhsana Memorial Trust Hospital and Hearts International Hospital and 21 in Rawalpindi institute of Urology (RIU).

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood said four patients are in a critical condition, 24 on oxygen and 25 are stable.

He said 13,270 people tested positive in Rawalpindi so far, 1,141 in Attock, 1,173 in Jhelum and 573 in Chakwal.

Gujar Khan

Three more tested positive for Covid-19 taking the tally of cases to 861 in Gujar Khan on Thursday. Focal person for coronavirus Dr Mohammad Yousaf said a smart lockdown had been imposed in Burdiana village of union council Mohra Noori and Ward No 6 in Gujar Khan city.

He said the lockdown had been imposed till Jan 21 and police personnel were making sure to implement the lockdown in the locality.

Dr Yousaf said the number of active cases in tehsil Gujar Khan reached 121 while 66 people have died of the virus so far. — Additional reporting by Hamid Asghar

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2021