ISLAMABAD: While six people died of Covid-19 and 394 more cases were reported in Islamabad on Sunday, the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has decided to open another mass vaccination center in the capital.

The new vaccination centre being established at Pak-China Friendship Centre will be become functional within a week. The centre will have the capacity to vaccinate 10,000 people daily.

Moreover, the vaccination of people aged over 40 years is going to start from Monday (today).

According to data provided by District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia, 3,894 tests were conducted on Saturday of which 394 samples were found positive with the positivity rate of 10.12pc.

Another mass vaccination centre to become functional in capital within a week, says official

Talking to Dawn, Dr Zia said the positivity was hovering between eight and 10pc.

“Unfortunately, people have not stopped attending Iftar parties. They should stop attending Iftar parties because it has become a major cause of the virus spread. The citizens should wear masks and maintain social distancing,” he said.

NHS ministry’s spokesperson Sajid Shah told Dawn that the pace of vaccination would further increase in current week as the government had decided to open another vaccination centre in the capital.

“This centre will have the capacity to administer vaccine to 10,000 people daily,” he said.

At the moment, 16 vaccination centres are operational in the federal capital where 135,094 people have been vaccinated.

Mr Shah said the government was taking all possible steps to ensure that people got vaccinated without any delay and hindrance.

“People need to know that over 75pc of people who are vaccinated are not infected with the virus at all. And those who get infected do not require hospitalisation as they have mild symptoms,” he said.

“It means that those who are vaccinated do not become a burden on the health system and recover without any major hospital intervention,” Mr Shah said.

He said more doses of vaccine would reach Pakistan in the next few weeks as the government has made agreements to import 30 million doses from three different companies.

Meanwhile, the assistant commissioner Potohar visited Sabzi Mandi in I-11 and other areas. Those found violating the Covid-19 SOPs were booked.

Rawalpindi

The Punjab government has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for Eid shopping and directed the citizens to contact 1033 for guidance.

According to SOPs, the Department of Primary and Secondary Care Health has instructed the citizens to choose the time for shopping when the rush is less and not to take children and the elderly with them for shopping.

Shopkeepers, salesmen and customers should always use masks. For better crowd management, put up six-foot markings in shopping malls and cash counters.

Shopkeepers must ensure frequent hand hygiene and clean hands after touching the surface.

Arrangements should be made for hand washing or sanitation at the entrances and exits of shopping malls and other centers.

Shopping malls should be properly ventilated, customers’ entrances and exits should be separate and overused items should be cleaned with disinfectant solution.

Meanwhile, 81 people tested positive in Rawalpindi district while no death was reported in the last 24 hours. It was since April 11 that no death was reported from Covid-19 in the district.

The number of cases decreased to 81 for the first time after April 22 when 83 people were found infected.

There are 2,095 active patients and 467 of them are in hospitals and 1,628 home isolated. Moreover, 707 patients are waiting for the results of their Covid-19 serology.

Of the new cases, 55 were reported from the garrison city - 17 from the cantonment, 15 from Potohar Town and 23 from Rawal Town.

Besides, two patients arrived from Gujar Khan, four from Taxila, nine from Kahuta, three from Kotli Sattian, four from Kallar Syedan, two patients from Murree, one patient each from Islamabad and Chakwal.

Officials said 29 of the new patients are admitted to Holy Family Hospital, 29 to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 83 to the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU), 20 to Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), six to Heart International Hospital and one to Begum Akhter Rukhsana Hospital.

There are 13 patients on ventilators and 105 on oxygen in the hospitals.

Attock

The number of patients in Attock increased to 1,988 after 11 more people were found infected.

District focal person for Covid-19 Kashif Hussain said eight of the new cases belonged to Attock city, two to Hassanabdal and one to Fatehjang. He said there are 164 active patients in the district and 161 of them are home isolated and three hospitalised.

Responding to a question, he said the results of 91 patients were awaited.

So far, 1,787 patients have recovered from the virus.

Gujar Khan

Another mass vaccination centre was opened in Gujar Khan to facilitate the residents of far-flung areas on Sunday.

The new centre has been established at the Govt Boys Associate College Daultala.

— Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal and Hamid Asghar

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2021