No respite from Covid-19 deaths, new cases

Published April 30, 2021
Army soldiers hold a flag march in Aabpara Market to implement restrictions against Covid-19 on Thursday. — Photo by Mohammad Asim
Army soldiers hold a flag march in Aabpara Market to implement restrictions against Covid-19 on Thursday. — Photo by Mohammad Asim

ISLAMABAD: Eight patients succumbed to Covid-19 and 665 more people tested positive in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Thursday.

Officials said two people died of the virus in Islamabad and six in Rawalpindi.

There was confusion over the number of tests conducted in the capital during the last 24 hours. According to a Covid-19 website of the government, 3,812 tests were conducted while the district health office’s social media account put the number at 5,651 with the positivity rate of nine per cent.

There are 12,727 active cases in the capital, the officials said, adding so far 677 patients have passed away.

Since the outbreak of the virus, 15,720 people in the age group of 30-39 have contracted the virus, followed by 13,711 in 20-29, 11,453 in 40-49, 9,315 in 40-49, 7,622 in 0-9, 6,208 in 10-19, 6,067 in 60-69, 2,617 in 70-79 and 959 in 80 and above.

Moreover, 200 deaths were reported in the age group of 60-69, 170 in 70-79, 113 in 5-59, 93 in 80-89, 54 in 40-49, 22 in 30-39, 21 in 90-99, two in 20-29 and one each in 0-9 and 10-19.

Eight people succumb to disease along with 665 new infections in twin cities

Meanwhile, officials said complaints were received by the prime minister’s portal about violations of the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in some areas of the capital.

In response, Magistrate Saddar Zone Mir Yamin was directed by Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat to take action.

Mr Yamin conducted checking at Tarnol and arrested six people involved in the violations. They were shifted to the Tarnol police station for further legal action.

Rawalpindi

Commissioner Rawalpindi Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah said there was a dire need to enforce smart lockdowns in areas where the number of Covid-19 patients is increasing. He asked the administrations of the four districts to ensure the implementation of SOPs to check further spread of the disease.

He stated this while reviewing the situation of Covid-19 in the four districts.

Meanwhile, six people died and 156 others tested positive in the district on Thursday while 120 patients were discharged from hospitals.

Misar Jan, 60, a resident of Rehmatabad Chaklala Scheme III, Rashid Mukhtar, 48, of Taxila, and Katharine Suhail, 55, of Dheri Hassanabad, passed away at the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU).

Mohammad Wajid, 35, a resident of Dhoke Hasu, died at Holy Family Hospital, Ruqqya Akhter, 42, of Asghar Mall, passed away at Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre while Ghulam Mustafa, 73, a resident of Saddar, succumbed to the virus at Quaid-i-Azam International Hospital.

There are 1,694 active patients in the district - 185 in hospitals and 1,509 home isolated. Moreover, 707 patients are waiting for the results of their Covid-19 serology.

Officials said 120 of the new patients reported from the garrison city - 45 from the cantonment and 30 from Potohar Town and 45 from Rawal Town.

Besides, 13 patients came from Gujar Khan, four from Taxila, two each from Kotli Sattian and Kallar Syedan, one from Kahuta, six patients from Murree, two from Sargodha, and one each from Islamabad, AJK, Chakwal, Jhelum, Attock and Toba Tek Singh.

Of the new patients, 36 were admitted to Holy Family Hospital, 26 to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 100 to the RIU, 22 to Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH) and one to Begum Akhter Rukhsana Hospital. There are 13 patients on ventilators and 123 on oxygen.

The officials said 31 people were arrested for violating the SOPs and lockdown hours while 23 shops, a plaza, two hotels, an office besides two snooker clubs and a fitness centre were sealed.

Attock

Two more people died of the virus, raising the tally of deaths in April to 22.

Health officials said during the third wave, 31 people have died in the district. The officials on Thursday said Nazeer, 51, and Nazakat Bibi, 90, died at the district headquarters hospital.

District focal person for Covid-19 Kashif Hussain said two more persons tested positive in the district raising the tally to 1,944.

He said 11 suspected patients were also admitted to the district headquarters hospital and they all were in critical condition.

Meanwhile, the city administration on Thursday arrested 20 people for not wearing face masks in public places and sealed nine shops over violation of the SOPs.

A team led by Assistant Commissioner Hazro Shagufta Jabeen during a monitoring of bazaars and markets took the action against violators of the SOPs. Hotel owners were also fined for not following the SOPs.

Moreover, a joint team of the army, police and civil administration monitored markets and appealed to people to follow the SOPs to avert the spread of coronavirus. The team also registered three cases against the violators. — Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2021

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