ISLAMABAD: As many as 15 more people succumbed to Covid-19 - six in Islamabad and nine in Rawalpindi - on Tuesday.

On the other hand, the capital administration sealed seven sub-sectors on the recommendation of the district health office after a surge in Covid-19 cases there.

However, a decline was seen in the positive cases in the capital.

A notification issued from the office of Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat said in accordance with the guidelines of the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) and the recommendation of the DHO, G-6/1, G-6/2, G-7/2, G-8/1, G-9/2, G-10/4 and G-11/3 are hereby sealed.

Seven sub-sectors sealed for 10 days

All markets, shopping malls, restaurants, offices (public and private) shall remain closed in these areas. There shall be a complete ban on movement of people to and from the areas by public and private transport except for limited movement of one person per vehicle to and from the exempted facilities. There shall also be a complete ban on gatherings of all kinds for social, religious, or any other purpose at any place, public or private throughout these areas, it added.

The order will remain enforced for 10 days.

Meanwhile, a decline was seen in the number of positive cases and positivity rate .

District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia said a declining trend was seen in the number of cases during the last three days. On Tuesday, 603 positive cases were reported compared to 680 and 798 on Monday and Sunday.

A 9.64pc positivity rate was reported on Tuesday compared to 11.36 and 11.04 on Monday and Sunday, he added.

Officials said six more deaths from Covid-19 were reported in the city. The deaths of two females were reported in the age group of 30-39 and 40-49, while two deaths of males were reported in the age group of 60-69 and 70-79.

The deaths of a male and a female were also reported in the age group of 80-89. Two of them were residents of G-6 and one each of G-10, F-11, Rawat and Khanna.

During the last 24 hours, 6,251 tests were conducted in the capital and 338 males and 265 females tested positive. As many as 138 cases were reported in the age group of 20-29, followed by 131 in 30-39, 78 in 40-49, 71 in 50-59, 53 in 60-69, 52 in 0-9, 44 in 10-19, 24 in 70-79 and nine in 80 and above.Likewise, 44 cases were reported from Loi Bher, 29 from I-8, 28 each from Tarlai, G-6, 27 from E-11, 24 from F-11, 22 each from Bhara Kahu, G-11, 21 from G-7, 19 from G-10, 17 each from Sohan, Kurri, 16 from I-10, 13 from F-6, 12 each from G-9, F-10, Chak Shahzad, I-9, 10 each from G-8, G-13, Chirrah, Sihala, nine each from Rawat, Khanna, seven each from Alipur, Koral, six each from F-8, B-17, five each from F-7, G-14, F-17, four each from Kirpa, Pind Begwal, three each from G-15, Bari Imam, Saidpur, E-10, two each from G-6, Rawal Town, D-12, H-13, H-12, H-11, H-9, I-16 and one each from Mode Town, Tarnol, H-8, Phulgran, Jhangi Syedan, Gokina, Tumair, F-16 and E-17.

Rawalpindi

Nine people died of Covid-19 in the district on Tuesday while 179 patients tested positive and 296 were discharged from hospitals.

Saifur Rehman, 76 years old, resident of Lala Rukh Taxila, died at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) where he was admitted on April 10.

Najma Khatoon, 65, resident of Gawalmandi, died at District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital where she was brought on April 12.

Abdul Shakoor, 70, resident of Kashmiri Bazaar Murree, arrived at Benazir Bhutto Hospital on April 12 and died on Tuesday.

Mohammad Saddique, 70, of Haji Workshop, was admitted to Fauji Foundation Hospital on April 12 where he died.

Syed Ansar Ahmed, 80, resident of Bahira Town Phase-8, died at Begum Akhter Rukhsana Memorial Trust Hospital where she was admitted on April 12.

Ashfaq Malik, 63, resident of Dheri Hassanabad, died at Quaid-i-Azam International Hospital where he was brought on April 12.

Malik Daud, 74, resident of Bharia Town Phase-8, also died at Quaid-i-Azam International Hospital a day after his hospitalisation there.

Raja Mushtaq, 72, resident of Post Office Bagh, died at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences where he was admitted on April 12.

Hameeda Begum, 71, resident of Wah Cantonment, also died at Pims where she was admitted on April 12.There are 2,368 active patients in the district - 192 admitted in hospitals and 2,067 isolated in their homes. Moreover, 642 patients are waiting for the results of their coronavirus serology.

Officials said 17 of the new patients were admitted in Holy Family Hospital, 24 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, two in District Headquarters Hospital, 129 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology, 18 in Fauji Foundation Hospital and two in Hearts International Hospital.

There are 38 patients are on ventilators, 98 on oxygen and 56 are stable.

Attock

The number of confirmed patients in Attock surged to 1,710 as five more people tested positive on Tuesday.

District focal person for Covid-19 Kashif Hussain said two each of the new patients belonged to Attock city and Hassanabdal while one to Pindigheb. The number of active patients in the district is 1,331 and 327 of them are home isolated and four hospitalised. He said 17 suspected patients were also admitted to the district headquarters hospital and 15 of them were in critical condition.

— Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2021