ISLAMABAD: After a gap of two days, the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad again saw a surge in Covid-19 cases, with five deaths - three in the capital and two in the garrison city.Officials of the capital administration said 742 cases were reported on Thursday against 659 and 564 cases on Tuesday and Wednesday.

During the last 24 hours, 8,433 tests were conducted in the capital and the positivity rate was 8.58pc against 8.39pc on Wednesday.

The death of two men were reported in the age group of 60-69 and 70-79 and a woman in the age group of 70-79.

The deceased were residents of G-9, F-11 and F-6, the officials said.

On April 7, as many as 51 new patients were admitted to nine hospitals, 21 of them were residents of the capital and the others were brought from other districts.

The occupancy rate of ventilators allocated in 12 hospitals is 57.94pc, they said, adding 62 of the total 107 ventilators were occupied.

The active cases of the virus in the capital increased to 11,872, taking the tally to 63,499.

Loi Bher reported 1,148 cases followed by 637 in Bhara Kahu, 625 in Tarlai, 502 in G-6, 500 in G-10, 484 in I-8, 465 in Rawat, 420 in G-7, 418 in G-11, 410 in G-9, 372 in E-11, 365 in F-11, 343 in G-8, 321 in F-10, 309 in I-10, 297 in G-13, 289 in Sohan, 285 in Chak Shahzad, 281 in Khanna, 243 in F-8, 218 in F-6, they said, adding that 167 in F-7, 165 in I-9, 158 in Kurri, 155 in Alipur, 125 in Koral, 122 in Chirrah, 117 in G-5, 90 in Kirpa, 88 in G-15, 78 in Rawal Town, 66 in D-12, 65 in Bari Imam, 65 in Model Town, 59 each in B-17, Sihala, 57 in H-13, 56 in G-14, 46 each in E-7, F-5, 44 in H-12, 31 in Tarnol, 29 in Jhangi Syedan, 24 in I-14, 12 in Saidpur, 22 in E-8, 21 each in G-12, Shah Allahdita, 19 in H-8, 17 in E-16, 16 each in H-11, H-9, Phulgran, Pind Begwal, 15 each in F-17, Gokina, 14 in E-9, 12 in F-15 and 10 in I-11.

Three patients succumb to virus in Islamabad, two in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi

Covid-19 claimed two people’s lives while 233 patients tested positive.

Samina Rauf, 58, a resident of Mukha Singh Estate, was brought to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology on March 29 where she died on Thursday.

Mohammad Asghar, 70, a resident of Naseerabad, died on Wednesday night at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences where he was shifted on April 7.

Total 233 patients reported from the district while 170 from the garrison city - 62 from the cantonment, 58 from Potohar Town and 50 from Rawal Town.

Moreover, 15 patients were brought from Gujar Khan, 11 from Taxila, four from Murree, seven from Kallar Syedan, two from Kotli Sattian, five from Kahuta, 10 from Islamabad, three from Attock, two from Chakwal, one each from Abbottabad, AJK, Khanewal and Sargodha.

In Rawalpindi district, there are 2,300 active patients.

Of the new patients, 32 were admitted to Holy Family Hospital, 31 to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 139 to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) and 25 patients to Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH). There are 33 patients on ventilators in Rawalpindi, 108 are on oxygen and 88 are stable.

Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Anwarul Haq said seven restaurants and a marriage hall were sealed while Rs43,500 fine imposed on the violators of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and 20 commercial plazas sealed and Rs41,500 fine imposed on Thursday.

Taxila

Taxila witnessed the highest ever surge of Covid-19 cases of the year on Thursday as 56 persons tested positive during the last 24 hours.

According to health authorities, 21 women were among the new patients. They said 34 of the patients belonged to various areas of Wah, especially Lalarukh, Gulshan Colony Anwar Chowk and Nawababad.

The district administration has already announced a smart lockdown in Lalarukh. — Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2021