ISLAMABAD: While the target was to vaccinate 1.6 million vaccine eligible people in the federal capital, health authorities on Sunday claimed that 103 per cent - 1.65m people - had been partially vaccinated in the city.

“It has happened because a large number of people who were not residents of the federal capital were also vaccinated in the city. It has happened as it was more convenient for the citizens to be inoculated in Islamabad due to better arrangements and the number of vaccination centres,” District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia said while talking to Dawn.

“We have surpassed the figure of our target as a number of people, who were not residents of the city, have also been vaccinated,” he said.

Dr Zia said that 93pc of the residents had become fully vaccinated in Islamabad, claiming that the percentage was further increasing with every passing day.

Data available with Dawn showed that on Sunday only seven people were found infected out of 1,522 samples collected on Saturday. The positivity for the day was 0.46pc.

The weekly data showed that the positivity had further declined to 0.81pc as 72 people were infected in the last seven days compared to 1pc positivity and 133 infections a week earlier.

The highest positivity during the fifth wave of Covid-19 was reported in the last week of January when it surged to 16.45pc with 9,037 cases.

Replying to a question, Dr Zia said vaccination had not only decreased the number of cases but also minimised the number of deaths.

“I urge the masses to get the second dose at the earliest and those who have been fully vaccinated should go for the booster shot,” he said.

Rawalpindi

Three people tested positive in the district on Sunday and seven patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours.

The positivity ratio in the district was recorded at 0.29pc as 1,039 samples were collected out of which 1,036 were declared negative.

There are 54 active patients in the district - two in hospitals and 52 home isolated.

One patient each was reported from the cantonment, city areas and Potohar Town. One patient each is admitted at Bilal Hospital and Fauji Foundation Hospital.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2022