ISLAMABAD: Four people lost their lives to Covid-19 as Islamabad and Rawalpindi district saw a total of 587 people getting infected on Wednesday.

The positivity rate in the capital was calculated at 8.3pc whereas it was 18pc in Rawalpindi.

Officials of the capital administration said both deceased were female patients (40-69), residents of G-8 and E-8. During the last 24 hours 3,953 tests were conducted out of which results of 186 men and 146 women came back positive, the officials said, adding that 71 cases were reported in the age group of 30-39 followed by 66 in 20-29, 50 in 0-9, 39 each in 10-19 and 40-49, 30 in 50-59, 26 in 60-69, seven in 70-79 and four in 80 and above.

Likewise, 35 cases were reported from Bhara Kahu, 33 from Lohi Bher, 15 each from I-8 and E-11, 13 each from G-6 and F-11, 11 from G-7, 10 from G-9, nine each from Rawat and G-11, seven each from G-10, G-8 and Chirrah, six each from I-10, Alipur, and G-15, five each from F-8, Koral, F-10 and Kurri, four each from Tarlai, Khanna, F-6 and H-12, three each from G-13 and G-5, two each from F-7, Sohan, Kirpa, E-7, Model Town and Pind Begwal and one each from Chak Shahzad, I-9, F-5, G-14, D-12, I-14, Jhangi Syedan, B-17, D-17, G-11, G-12 and E-8. Addresses of 64 cases are not known.

Over 500 cases surface in region; Pindi records 18pc infection rate

Furthermore, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Aamir Aqiq Khan told Dawn that the number of patients increased in the district but at the same time, the vaccination drive had also been accelerated.

“We provided vaccination to more than 50,000 people on a daily basis for the last one week and it is a good sign,” he said, adding that a target was set to vaccinate 20,000 people everyday but the response has been overwhelming.

He said more staff had been deployed at the vaccination centre so people did not have to wait in long queues.

About increase in the number of cases, he said the positivity ratio was increasing but the situation was still under control and patients were being managed. He said the impact of vaccination would begin to show in a week or two. More than one million people have been vaccinated in the district so far.

The deceased were identified as Mohammad Shafi, 90, resident of city area, brought to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital and Saboohe Mushtaq, 57, resident of Chaklala Scheme-III, brought to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). Both patients were shifted to hospitals on Aug 3.

In Rawalpindi district, there are 1,469 active patients, with 187 patients in hospitals, including 20 from other districts, and 1,282 patients were home isolated.

As many as 40 patients arrived from cantonment areas, 58 from Potohar Town and 107 from Rawal Town whereas 27 patients arrived from Taxila, 15 from Gujar Khan, five patients from Murree and three from Kahuta.

As many as 36 patients are admitted to Holy Family Hospital, 31 to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 63 to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU), 46 patients were in Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), two patients each were at Hearts International Hospital, Attock Hospital, one at Bilal Hospital and three patients were admitted to Begum Akhter Sultana Trust Hospital.

There are four patients on ventilators in Rawalpindi, 118 on oxygen support and 65 are stable.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2021