ISLAMABAD: After a gap of over one month, the capital city has reported over 150 Covid-19 cases, showing an increase in positivity ratio from 1.57pc to 2.65pc.

Moreover, only 6,599 healthcare workers have been vaccinated in the federal capital so far. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has directed its staff to get themselves vaccinated at the earliest or face the consequences.

As many as 153 cases against 4,338 tests were reported on Sunday and the positivity rate reached 3.51pc. The weekly positivity rate was 2.65pc and it may go up in coming days.

According to a document available with Dawn, weekly positivity was 2.47pc in the second week of January and later dropped to 1.61pc. In the first week of February, it was just 1.57pc. However, it again started increasing and in the last week of February reached 2.65pc.

153 new cases reported in Islamabad, 49 in Rawalpindi, say officials

District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia told Dawn that people should strictly adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) as cases were continuously increasing. He said the district administration was focusing on contact tracing to break the chain of the virus.

Moreover, only 6,599 healthcare workers have been vaccinated in the last almost three weeks. As many as 2,128 workers were vaccinated at RHC Tarlai, 1,805 at Pims, 1,010 at CDA Hospital, 745 at Federal General Hospital, 558 at Polyclinic, 350 at RHC Bhara Kahu and only three at RHC Sihala.

Pims Joint Executive Director Dr Minhajus Siraj said there was very slow response by the healthcare workers, especially nurses, due to which he had no option but to issue a circular to expedite the vaccination.

“We are in a hurry to vaccinate the health workers as we have to open the outpatient departments. However, the staffers seem to be reluctant,” he said.

“All registered Pims staff must get vaccinated as soon as possible. Otherwise, strict disciplinary action will be taken against the defaulter, as per rules,” stated the circular.

Rawalpindi

As many as 49 people tested positive in Rawalpindi district while 86 patients were discharged from hospitals. However, no death was reported in the last 24 hours.

As many as 27 new patients arrived in hospitals from Rawalpindi city and cantonment areas - five from the cantonment, nine from Potohar Town and 13 from Rawal Town.

Moreover, 14 patients arrived from Gujar Khan, two each from Kallar Syedan and Murree and one each patient from Kahuta, Islamabad, Chakwal and Attock.

There are 382 active patients in the district and 141 of them are in hospitals and 241 patients home isolated. Besides, 426 patients are waiting for the results of their Covid-19 serology.

Officials said 10 patients were admitted in Holy Family Hospital, 13 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 26 in Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), 33 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU), three in Red Crescent Corona Care Centre and five in Hearts International Hospital.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that 12 patients were in critical condition and on ventilators, 48 on oxygen and 30 were stable.

He said that the number of patients increased slightly on Sunday in Rawalpindi district but the number of patients in other districts remained low.

He said 17,734 people tested positive since March 2020, including 14,320 in Rawalpindi, 1,296 in Attock, 1,481 in Jhelum and 637 in Chakwal.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2021