ISLAMABAD: With the positivity ratio of Covid-19 cases now at 2.1pc and recoveries of 577 patients reported, 94 new cases surfaced in the capital on Friday.

Three people succumbed to the disease in Rawalpindi district while 25 tested positive.

Health authorities have recommended to impose a smart lockdown in seven areas of the garrison city where cases have been surfacing over the past few days, but the district administration is still undecided about this step.

These areas are: Al Noor Colony where 10 patients reportedly emerged, Gulzar-i-Quaid (21 patients), Ward-8 Wah Cantonment (12 patients), Morgah (17 patients), Gangal (15 patients), Shakrial (13 patients) and Satellite Town f-block (12 patients).

Officials of the capital administration said 4,319 tests were conducted during the last 24 hours, whereas there are currently 3,715 active cases.

District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia said that the his office traced 331contacts of 89 positive cases reported on Thursday. As many as 123 traced contacts were in the age group of 21-30, 83 in 31-45, 64 in 11-20, 30 in 0-10, 18 in 46-60, 10 in 61-80 and two in 81 and above, he said, adding eight more patients were also admitted in the hospital on Thursday.

There is a considerable reduction in the number of Covid-19 cases, Dr Zia said, adding but the surveillance teams were committed and working to control and contain the pandemic.

Rawalpindi

Three people died of Covid-19 in the Rawalpindi district on Friday and 25 tested positive.

The deceased were identified as Mohammad Riaz, 70, a resident of city area, who was brought to Holy Family Hospital on June 3, Mohammad Siddique, 63, a resident of Satellite Town, admitted at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology on June 3 and Zohra Khanum, 70, a resident of Murree, brought to Fauji Foundation Hospital on June 3.

In Rawalpindi district, there are 571 active patients. As many as 181 patients are in hospitals including 30 patients who arrived from other districts and 390 patients are home isolated. As many as 720 patients are waiting for the results of their Covid-19 serology.

A total of 18 patients are from the garrison city, including 10 from cantonment. Four patients each arrived from Potohar Town and Rawal Town areas.

From other parts of the district, two patients arrived from Kotli Sattian and one from Gujar Khan whereas three patients were brought from AJK.

As many as 18 patients are admitted in Holy Family Hospital, 11 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 16 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU), 12 patients in Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), two patients at Bilal Hospital and one patient at Hearts International Hospital.

There are four patients on ventilators in Rawalpindi, 36 are on oxygen support and 20 are stable.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2021