RAWALPINDI: Five more staffers of educational institutions were found infected with Covid-19 in the last two days, taking the tally to 12.

The random sampling for the virus was launched in educational intuitions of the Rawalpindi district on September 15. In the first phase from September 15 to September 23, seven patients were detected while in the second phase from September 24 to October 2, five more staffers tested positive in the educational institutions.

The district administration isolated the affected persons but did not close down the educational institutes where they worked. Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that the number of patients was not high so the isolation policy was being implemented in the institutions and extra safety measures had been adopted.

He said educational institutions where the patients had been detected were directed to ensure testing of the close contacts of the persons and pay attention on safety measures, especially sanitising the area on a daily basis.

According to a report, samples were collected from 57 private and public sector colleges and universities. As many as 4,557 samples had been collected in the last 17 days and 12 people were found infected, 3,382 declared clear while results of 1,163 others were pending.

Samples collected from 57 private and public sector colleges, universities since their opening

The commissioner said three of the Covid-19 cases were from Government College of Commerce Murree, four from Government Degree College for Women Dhamyal, two from Fatima Jinnah Women University and one each from Government Degree College Taxila, Government Degree College for Women Wah Cantt and Government Degree College for Women Dhoke Syedan.

Meanwhile, 14 people tested positive in the district on Friday while 13 patients were discharged from Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) after recovery and one person died of the virus.

The 68-year-old resident of Asifabad, Lalarukh Colony, was admitted to Fauji Foundation Hospital on September 24 where he died on Thursday night.

Moreover, 142 confirmed patients are under treatment, including 20 at the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology. As many as 11 of the patients belong to the Rawalpindi district and the others came from other districts. The local administrations also keep 348 people on quarantines.

However, no house and street has been sealed in the city for the last two and a half months.

According to data, 8,449 people tested positive in the Rawalpindi division since March - 7,027 in Rawalpindi, 630 in Attock, 494 in Jhelum and 298 in Chakwal.

As many as 7,929 patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovery - 6,596 in Rawalpindi, 601 in Attock, 480 in Jhelum and 252 in Chakwal.

Besides, 289 have died of the disease in Rawalpindi, 20 in Attock, nine in Jhelum and 39 in Chakwal.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2020