ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: The first death of a healthcare worker from Covid-19 was reported at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Monday.

The deceased, Zafar Iqbal, had worked at the hospital for three decades. He was the chief technician of the operation theatre at the Pims Children’s Hospital.

Pims Joint Executive Director Dr Minhajus Siraj told Dawn that Iqbal used to work in the paediatric surgery department.

“His job was to prepare the trolley and machinery for operation. After serving for almost three decades, he was promoted to [grade] 17, which is a gazetted post. It has been decided to give a shuhada package for the family of deceased,” he said.

On April 28, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza announced that the cabinet had announced shuhada packages for families of healthcare providers who died from Covid-19.

Dr Siraj said that the deceased contracted Covid-19 around two weeks ago and was admitted to the hospital’s isolation ward.

He is survived by two sons, one of whom is a nurse at Pims, and he was from the Kisran village in Pindigheb.

Death toll in Islamabad

The death toll from Covid-19 in Islamabad reached 47 after a resident of Banigala died in a private hospital on Monday.

Of the total, eight of the deceased were residents of the capital, local administration officials said. The rest were from other districts and were admitted to various hospitals, including Pims and the Federal Government Services Hospital (FGSH).

They said 33 patients have died at Pims, three at FGSH, 10 at Shifa International and one at Quaid-i-Azam International Hospital.

Administration officials told Dawn that the patient who died on Monday worked at the Excise and Taxation Office. He was diagnosed with Covid-19 two weeks ago and had been placed on a ventilator at a private hospital, where he died.

Two members of his family also tested positive and have been isolated in their home, they added.

Excise and Taxation Director Bilal Azam told Dawn that the man was diabetic and suffered from a kidney disease. He lived in Banigala and had been on a ventilator for 20 days, he added.

Mr Azam said the patient had been home before he was admitted to the hospital as there was no public dealing at the Excise and Taxation Office.

Meanwhile, the total number of Covid-19 cases in Islamabad rose to 997 from 947, with another 50 reported in the city. Of these, seven cases were reported in Tarlai, six in I-10 and four in Sohan.

I-10 is at the top of the list, with 72 cases so far, followed by 64 from Tarlai, 63 from Lohi Bher, 54 from Bhara Kahu, 48 each from G-6 and Sohan, 46 from I-8 and 44 from G-7.

At least 318 people have contracted Covid-19 in the last week, administration officials said.

Covid-19 deaths in Rawalpindi

Five people died and 34 more — among them a senior police official — tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, while 17 patients have recovered.

The number of Covid-19 deaths reported in Rawalpindi district has now risen to 69.

A 34-year-old resident of Khayaban-i-Sir Syed who was admitted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) on May 15 has died, as did an 80-year-old Railway Scheme resident who was isolated at home.

A 77-year-old man who lived in Iqbal Town died at Pims on Monday. A 47-year-old woman also died and a 44-year-old woman from Morgah died at BBH.

At least 1,770 Covid-19 cases have been reported in Rawalpindi with 69 deaths and 502 recoveries. There are 742 patients isolated in their homes and 479 being treated in hospitals.

A total of 1,303 passengers, including 367 from Rawalpindi, have been quarantined at facilities at the Fatima Jinnah Women University, Pir Mehr Ali Shah University and University of Engineering and Technology Taxila.Of these, 107 tested positive for Covid-19 and 1,070 were allowed to leave.

The station house officer of the Civil Lines police station has also been diagnosed with Covid-19. A police spokesperson said he has been isolated at home and is being provided all the required medical facilities by the police.

Other station staff have also been tested after his diagnosis, and Rawalpindi City Police Officer Ahsan Younas had already started random testing of personnel either staying in the Police Lines Headquarters or posted at other establishments. However, their results are awaited.

Four cases reported in Khewra

Four people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the city of Khewra in Jhelum district, where the total number of cases has reached 168.

Health sources said all four patients were resident of the city who had travelled from Lahore a few days ago.

Civil Hospital medical superintendent Dr Mudasir told Dawn the patients have been taken to the Pind Dadan Khan quarantine facility, and their relatives have been tested and are quarantined in their homes.

Jhelum Deputy Commissioner Saif Anwar Jappa said the total number of Covid-19 cases in Jhelum has reached 168, of whom 121 patients have recovered.

He said iftar events have been banned in all four tehsils in the district and violators would face strict action.— Additional reporting by Hamid Asghar

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2020