ISLAMABAD: The federal capital saw a fall in the number of Covid-19 infections and positivity ratio after a period of over three months whereas Rawalpindi recorded a rise in patients on Tuesday. However, no casualty was reported in the twin cities.

A downward trend was also witnessed in Attock district and Taxila as no new positive case surfaced in the area in the last couple of days.

The garrison city reported 51 cases which were higher than the previous day when only nine people contracted the virus.

Islamabad reported only 66 cases and the positivity ratio was only 1.1pc on Tuesday.

Last Islamabad reported highest number of cases in November and December when the figure crossed 300, and the positivity rate was almost 7pc.

District Health Officer Islamabad Dr Zaeem Zia, while talking to Dawn, said out of total 5,826 samples collected on Monday only 66 were detected positive.

“It was the lowest rate in last many months,” he said adding last time less than 66 cases were reported on Oct 11 and positivity rate was below 1.1pc on Oct 4.

Dr Zia said efforts would be made to further reduce cases and positivity rate.

On the other hand, the garrison city saw 51 infections, most of them from Rawalpindi city and cantonment areas.

Out of 29 patients reported from Rawalpindi, eight were from cantonment areas, 10 from Potohar Town and 11 from Rawal Town. Gujar Khan reported 13 cases, Kahuta one and Kallar Syedan three.

Total 59 patients have been admitted to the hospitals including nine in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, 10 in Fauji Foundation Hospital, 13 in Holy Family Hospital, three in Red Crescent Hospital, one in Begum Akhter Rukhsana Memorial Trust Hospital, three in Hearts International Hospital and 20 in Rawalpindi institute of Urology.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that 12 patients were in critical condition and on ventilators, 20 on Oxygen and 27 were stable.

He said that total 16,358 people had so far tested positive for Covid-19 including 13,419 in Rawalpindi, 1,148 in Attock, 1,200 in Jhelum and 581 in Chakwal.

He said 15,170 patients discharged from hospitals after recovery in the four districts including 12,535 in Rawalpindi, 1,057 in Attock, 1,090 in Jhelum and 488 in Chakwal.

He said that total 696 people died in Rawalpindi Division including 577 in Rawalpindi, 26 in Attock, 28 in Jhelum and 65 in Chakwal.

Taxila

No new Covid-19 case was reported in Attock district and Taxila during the last three days.

According to data from Attock district health authorities, 30 people tested positive on Tuesday, 11 on Monday, 17 on Sunday.

Responding to a question, he said there were only 65 active patients, of them 64 were isolated at home while one was in hospital.

There was no positive case reported in tehsil Taxila during the last five days. The last case was reported on Jan 14.

Deputy District Health Officer Dr Sara Qadeer said at present 315 cases were active in Taxila and all were home isolated. She said 578 patients have recovered.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2021