ISLAMABAD: The highest number of Covid-19 cases since Nov 26 was reported in the capital on Thursday, as 538 people tested positive. Moreover, eight patients lost their lives to the virus in the twin cities.

The positivity rate climbed to 7.7pc whereas during the last 24 hours 6,919 tests were conducted out of which 322 males and 216 females tested positive.

The deceased in the capital were all female patients between the ages of 30-49 and 90-99, residents of Loi Bher, G-6, Alipur, F-7 and E-16. Saeeda Begum, 60, resident of Khotha Kalan, was brought to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on March 17; Amjad Javed, 66, a resident of Shah Khalid Colony, was admitted to Quaid-i-Azam International Hospital on March 17 and Arshad Pervaiz, 65, a resident of Alam Khan Road, was brought to Max Hospital on March 17 where he passed away on Thursday morning.

According to officials of the capital administration, 114 cases were reported in the age group of 30-39, followed by 104 in 20-29, 79 each in 40-49 and 50-59, 69 in 0-9, 43 in 10-19, 28 in 60-69, 18 in 70-79 and four in 80 and above.

Eight more succumb to infection

Likewise, 43 cases were reported from Loi Bher followed by 37 from Tarali, 29 from G-7, 28 from I-10, 27 from I-8, 25 from G-6, 24 from Rawat, 22 each from E-11 and Khanna, 21 from G-9, 20 each from Bhara Kahu, and Chak Shahzad, 16 from G-13, 15 from G-10, 13 each from G-11 and F-6, 12 each from G-8, Kirpa, 11 each from F-10 and G-5, 10 from Kurri, nine from Koral, eight each from F-11, Alipur, Chirrah, seven each from F-8, Bari Imam, F-5, six each from Sohan, F-7, five from G-14, four from I-9, three each from Rawal Town, H-13, H-9, two each from Sihala, Model Town, H-8, B-17, E-7, G-12, D-10, and one each from G-15, Jhangi Syedan, Tarnol, F-17, H-11, E-9, I-14, F-13. The address of one patient is not known.

Rawalpindi

Officials said 178 people were diagnosed with the disease in Rawalpindi and no one was discharged from hospitals after recovery during the last 24 hours. Around 120 people tested positive in city and cantonment areas including 47 patients from cantonment, 37 from Potohar Town and 36 from Rawal Town.

Moreover, 35 patients arrived from Gujar Khan, six from Taxila, two from Murree and one patient each from Kahuta and Kallar Syedan, six patients arrived from Islamabad, two from Attock and one each from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Mianwali, Sargodha, Chakwal and Hafizabad.

There are currently 1,129 active patients in the district. As many as 304 are in hospitals and 825 patients are home isolated.

Besides, 538 patients are waiting for the results of their Covid-19 serology.

Around 38 patients are admitted in Holy Family Hospital, 36 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 71 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU), 64 in Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), three in Red Crescent Corona Care Centre and one patient is in Hearts International Hospital.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that there are 11 patients on ventilators in Rawalpindi, 107 are on oxygen support and 95 are stable.

He said 19,375 people tested positive for Covid-19 since March 2020 including 15,690 in Rawalpindi, 1363 in Attock, 1644 in Jhelum and 678 in Chakwal.

As many as 17,232 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery in the four districts including 13,884 in Rawalpindi, 1276 in Attock, 1500 in Jhelum and 572 in Chakwal.

He said 821 people have died in the Rawalpindi Division during the last 12 months of the pandemic including 677 in Rawalpindi, 28 in Attock, 45 in Jhelum and 71 in Chakwal.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2021