ISLAMABAD: A year after the first Covid-19 case was detected in Pindi on March 23, Rawalpindi and Islamabad continue to reel from effects of the disease as 708 more patients were detected in the twin cities on Tuesday with positivity rate in the capital climbing to 10.9pc.

Two people lost their lives in the garrison city while 109 were discharged from hospitals after recovering.

Rohida Bibi, 67, resident of Daultala Gujar Khan was brought to Holy Family Hospital on March 22 where she died on Tuesday. Abida Bibi, 48, resident of Girja Road Dhoke Syedan was shifted to District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital on March 22 where she died on Tuesday.

Officials of the capital administration told Dawn that 590 cases were reported with highest number of cases coming from Lohi Bher, which stood at 94.

During the last 24 hours, 5,384 tests were conducted, out of which 322 men and 268 women tested positive.

District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia said six frontline workers of the District Health Office have also been diagnosed with the disease.

Officials said 126 cases were reported in the age group of 20-29, followed by 121 in 30-39, 82 in 40-49, 63 in 50-59, 56 in 0-9, 54 in 10-19, 43 in 60-69, 22 in 70-79 and 14 in 80 and above. Age groups of three cases were not known, they added.

Likewise, 94 cases were reported from Lohi Bher, followed by 34 from G-10, 33 from G-11, 30 from Rawat, 28 each from I-8, G-13, 21 from F-11, 20 from Bhara Kahu, 19 from G-8, 18 each from G-9, G-7, Alipur, 17 each from Tarlai, Chak Shahzad, F-6, 16 from I-10, 15 from G-6, 14 from E-11, 12 from F-10, 11 from G-14, nine from Chirrah, eight each from Khanna, F-8, seven each from I-9, D-12, six each from Koral, F-7, five each from Sohan, Rawal Town, four each from Kirpa, G-15, Sihala, Model Town, three each from Kurri, B-17, H-13, E-7, two each from G-5, Bari Imam, F-5, Shah Allahdita, and one each from H-12, G-12, E-10, G-16, E-9, Pind Begwal, Phulgran, Top City, D-13 and I-12, they said, adding addresses of three cases were not known.

The number of active cases in capital reached 6059, they said, adding 191 patients are admitted to hospitals while the rest are isolated at their homes.

Out of the total 191 hospitalised patients, 22 are kept on ventilators and 169 are on oxygen support, they said.

As many as 57 of the newly detected patients in Pindi are from cantonment, 43 from Potohar Town and 39 are from Rawal Town.

Around 17 patients arrived from Taxila, nine each from Gujar Khan and Kahuta, 16 from Kallar Syedan and four from Kotli Sattian.

Nine patients arrived from Islamabad, two from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one patient each was brought from Chakwal, Jhelum and Khushab.

There are 1,531 active patients in the district. As many as 173 patients are in hospitals including 87 who arrived from other districts and 1,358 are home isolated while 577 people are waiting for the results of their Covid-19 serology.

Around 26 patients are admitted to Holy Family Hospital, 29 to Benazir Bhutto Hospital, 78 to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU), 38 to Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH) and two patients in Hearts International Hospital.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that there are 23 patients on ventilators in Rawalpindi, 52 on oxygen support and 98 are stable.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2021