ISLAMABAD: The utilisation of ventilators allocated for Covid-19 patients in the capital has increased to 61 per cent, the second highest occupancy ratio in the country, officials of the capital administration told Dawn on Thursday.

They said 295 ventilators were available in different hospitals in the capital city out of which 70 were allocated for the coronavirus patients. Currently, 43 of the 70 ventilators are occupied.

According to the officials, the highest occupancy rate of ventilators - 74pc - is in Multan followed by 19pc in Lahore, 17pc in Faisalabad, 14pc in Rawalpindi, 10pc in Karachi and three per cent in Muzaffarabad.

Meanwhile, two deaths and 407 new cases were reported in the capital on Thursday.

During the last 24 hours, 6,132 tests were conducted - 535 were contacts of the confirmed cases while 5,597 were suspected patients. The positivity rate was found to be 6.6pc.

The officials said 29 cases were reported from Tarlai, 25 from I-8, 23 from G-6, 22 from G-9, 20 each from G-8, G-7, 17 from DHA II, 16 from Bhara Kahu, 14 from F-10, 13 each from NPF, G-13, 12 each from I-10, G-10, F-11, 11 from G-11, 10 from Ghouri Town, nine each from F-8, F-7, E-11, eight each from PWD, Chak Shahzad, seven each from NIH Colony, Bahria Town, Alipur, I-9, D-17, six each from Soan Garden, Korang Town, F-6, G-5, five each from Gulberg Green, I-11, H-8, E-8, D-12, four each from H-13, G-15, Model Town, Media Town and the remaining from other areas.

The capital administration sealed six restaurants, six shops and five hotels over violations of SOPs.

Besides, two people were arrested and Rs2,500 fines imposed on other violators.

Rawalpindi

Two Covid-19 patients died and 80 people tested positive in Rawalpindi. Moreover, 92 patients were discharged after recovery.

A 90-year-old resident of Mohallah Bagrryal Adiala was admitted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital on Nov 16 where he died.

Another patient, aged 73, from Wah Cantonment died at Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mahmood said the number of coronavirus patients in the district has increased 10 times.

He said special attention was being paid to contain the spread of the virus in educational institutions. Since Sept 15, more than 17,000 tests have been conducted and 38 educational institutions sealed.

He stated this while presiding over a meeting at the deputy commissioner office.

The commissioner said most of the Covid-19 patients were in Rawal Town and Potohar Town. He directed the district administration to fully monitor these areas with smart lockdown and ensure implementation of the precautions, especially in marriage halls and restaurants.

He said the increase in poliovirus in environmental samples of Rawalpindi was also a matter of concern and a strategy was needed to control it.

According to the statistics of the health department, the number of polio cases had increased in 2019 and also in 2020 due to the stalemate in the anti-polio campaign in the wake of the pandemic, he added.

He said 100pc results should be achieved in the polio campaign. The situation regarding dengue is satisfactory compared to previous years but the prevention campaign should continue, he added.

Attock

Eight more people, including a doctor, tested positive, raising the tally of patients to 725 in the district.

Chief executive District Health Authority Dr Jawad Ellah said three of the patients belonged to Attock city and five, including a female doctor, were from Hazro.

He said there were 59 active patients in the district - 23 in tehsil Attock, six in Fatehjang, three in Hassanabdal, 23 in Hazro and four in Jand.

He said six of the patients were hospitalised and the others in home isolation.

Taxila

Six people tested positive in Taxila, raising the tally to 647 in the tehsil.

Five of the patients belonged to Ward 8 of Wah. Among the positive cases, one is an employee of the health department serving at the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Taxila.

There are 156 active patients in the area and all of them are under home isolation while 465 patients have recovered. — Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2020