ISLAMABAD: The Covid-19 vaccination of people aged 65 years and above is likely to start in the second week of March in the capital.

An official of the capital administration told Dawn that the inoculation of healthcare workers would complete in the first week of next month. Additional Deputy Commissioner (East) Babar Sahibdin confirmed to Dawn that vaccination of people aged 65 years and above would start in the second week of March.

“A significant portion of healthcare staff is vaccinated and the remaining will be vaccinated during the next week,” he said, adding the healthcare workers were being vaccinated at five centres set up at Pims, Polyclinic, Bhara Kahu and Tarlai.

The number of the centres will be increased to 14 by the end of the next week and in the meantime people aged 65 years and above are being registered.

Citizens aged 65 years and above being registered for Covid-19 inoculation

The capital has a population of 2.2 million, including 1.4 million aged 18 years and above, he said, adding 1.4 million population of the capital will be vaccinated.

Meanwhile, 131 more cases were reported in the capital on Friday. During the last 24 hours, 6,252 tests were conducted and 78 males and 53 females tested positive. The positivity rate remained 2 per cent.

The officials said 29 cases were reported in the age group of 30-39 followed by 27 in 20-29, 21 in 40-49, 18 in 10-19, 14 in 50-59, 11 in 60-69, eight in 0-9, two in 70-79 and one in 80 and above.

Fifteen cases were reported from G-13, 10 from Loi Bher, nine from Bhara Kahu, eight from G-9, seven each from I-8, Tarlai, six each from G-8, G-7, five each from G-11, G-10, four each from F-11, E-11, Alipur, Kurri, Saidpur, three each from I-10, Rawat, Sohan, Khanna, Chak Shahzad, Koral, two each from G-6, I-9, B-17 and one each from F-8, F-7, F-6, G-5, F-5, Kirpa, E-8 and H-8.

Rawalpindi

No let-up was seen in Covid-19 causalities in Rawalpindi district as three more people lost their lives on Friday while 20 patients tested positive.

Abdul Majeed, 54, a resident of Chaklala Scheme-III, was taken to Fauji Foundation Hospital on Feb 13 where he died on Friday.

Mussarat Aman, 65, a resident of Mohallah Haripur, was admitted to Shifa International Hospital on Feb 24 where she also died late on Thursday night.

Mohammad Iqbal, 80, a resident of New Lalazar, died at Hearts International Hospital where he was admitted on Feb 8.

Moreover, 14 new patients arrived in hospitals - four from cantonment and five patients each from Potohar Town and Rawal Town. Two patients were brought from Gujar Khan and one from Kallar Syedan while two patients arrived from Islamabad and one patient from Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

As many as 365 active patients are in the district - 120 in hospitals and 245 patients home isolated. As many as 439 patients are waiting for the results for their Covid-19 serology.

Officials said eight patients are admitted in Holy Family Hospital, 11 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 23 in Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), 24 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU), three in Red Crescent Corona Care Centre and four in Hearts International Hospital.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood said 12 patients are in critical condition and on ventilator, 37 on oxygen and 23 are stable.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2021