ISLAMABAD: A drop in the number of Covid-19 cases has been seen across the country during the last one week and the positivity ratio remained below 5pc.

As many as 2,233 new cases were reported across the country during the last 24 hours, taking the tally of confirmed cases to 1,234,828 while 50 people lost their lives.

The country’s overall positivity ratio was recorded at 4.2pc. Four people lost their lives to the disease in Islamabad and Rawalpindi districts whereas 201 people tested positive and 50 were discharged from hospitals after recovery.

As per data shared by the District Health Authority, the positivity ratio in the capital was 3pc and 5.3pc in Pindi district.

A total of 52,788 tests were conducted across the country, including 18,952 in Sindh, 14,666 in Punjab, 12,029 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 4721 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 1,300 in Balochistan, 410 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 710 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

There are currently 60,952 active cases in the country. Among these 4,409 patients are under critical care. Maximum number of ventilators are occupied in Sargodha with a 63pc occupancy rate, Bahawalpur (40pc), Lahore (52pc) and Multan (84pc).

As many as 45 of the deceased patients were under treatment in different hospitals; five of them passed away in isolation at home, according to the latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

Most of the deaths were reported in Punjab followed by KP and 14 of the deceased were under treatment on ventilators.

Around 1,146,394 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan making it a significant count with a recovery ratio of over 90pc. Pakistan has administered at least 76,749,558 doses of Covid-19 vaccines so far while 630,074 people were vaccinated on Thursday.

Meanwhile, officials of the capital administration said two people from the 40-49 and 60-69 age groups passed away. Both were male patients and residents of Koral and Sihala.

During the last 24 hours, 4,721 tests were conducted in the capital for detection of the virus.

They said 13 cases were reported from Rawat followed by 10 from I-8, nine from G-11, seven each from I-10 and F-11, six from Loi Bher, five each from Bhara Kahu, Tarlai and Alipur, four each from G-8, F-6, F-10, and Sohan, two each from G-10, Koral, and G-5, and one each from E-11, I-9, Khanna, G-13, F-7, Kurri, Chirrah, G-15, Sihala, Bari Imam, H-9, Pind Begwal, Jhangi Syedan, and Gokina. Addresses of 42 cases are not known.

There are currently 2,363 active cases in the capital. Out of the total 121 are admitted in hospitals, 104 on oxygen support and 17 are on ventilators.

So far 104,764 residents of the capital have contracted the virus and out of the total 101,491 recovered. As many as 910 patients have died of the disease in the city.

Rawalpindi

A total of 1,056 samples were collected out of which 1,000 samples were declared negative.

The deceased in the district were identified as Sheraz Ahmed, 37, resident of Westridge near Railway crossing, who was brought to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Sept 23, and Dr Aslam Sami, 84, resident of Chaklala Scheme-I, who was admitted to Shifa International Hospital on Sept 23.

There are 868 active patients in the district. As many as 124 are in hospitals and 744 are home isolated.

As many as 11 patients are from cantonment areas, 12 from Potohar Town, 10 from Rawal Town, five each from Gujar Khan, four patients arrived from Kallar Syedan, one from Kotli Sattian, five from Murree while two patients arrived from Taxila. Two patients arrived from Islamabad and one patient each came from Chakwal, Jhelum, Nankana Sahib and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Five patients were admitted in Holy Family Hospital, 47 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, 49 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology, four in District Headquarters Hospital, 23 in Fauji Foundation Hospital, three in Bilal Hospital, one patient each in Hearts International Hospital and Begum Akhtar Rukhsana Hospital.

There are six patients on ventilators in Rawalpindi, 49 are on oxygen support and 69 are stable.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2021