RAWALPINDI: More casualties were reported on Tuesday after eight patients lost their lives and another 298 people contracted the virus in the twin cities, taking the tally of active cases in the twin cities to 6,995.

In the garrison city, six patients died from the virus and 93 patients tested positive in Rawalpindi district while 134 patients recovered from the infection.

Riasat Jan, 80, resident of Kallar Syedan, was brought to Shifa International Hospital on Dec 14 where he died in the evening.

Hazir Ali, 45, from Pindora, was shifted to Holy Family Hospital on Dec 14 where he died on Tuesday.

Gul Aftab, 64, resident of Dhoke Kala Khan, was hospitalised in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology on Dec 14 and died on Tuesday.

Iftikharuddin, 77, a resident of Satellite Town, and Asghar Ali, 53, a resident of Raheemabad, died in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology on Tuesday. Sajjad Hussain, 65, was brought to District Headquarters Hospital on Dec 14 where he died late Monday night.

A total of 1,027 confirmed patients are under treatment in the district with 127 patients in the hospitals - 48 patients admitted to Holy Family Hospital, 50 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology and 29 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital. Among them 17 are on ventilators and 96 are on oxygen beds.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that 14,191 people have tested positive for Covid-19 since March - 11,984 in Rawalpindi, 917 in Attock, 873 in Jhelum and 417 in Chakwal.

He said 12,297 patients discharged from hospitals in the four districts with 10,475 in Rawalpindi, 739 in Attock, 748 in Jhelum and 335 in Chakwal.

He said 576 people have died in Rawalpindi Division since March including 482 in Rawalpindi, 25 in Attock, 13 in Jhelum and 56 in Chakwal.

Islamabad

Two deaths and 205 positive cases of Covid-19 were reported in the capital on Tuesday, officials told Dawn.

Officials of the capital administration said the deceased were residents of Loi Bher and I-10, adding that the man was in the age group of 80-89 while the woman was in the age bracket of 50-59. During the last 24 hours, 4,771 tests were conducted which confirmed the virus in 205 people.

The positivity rate was 4.29pc, the officials said, adding that 21 cases were reported from G-6, followed by 20 from Loi Bher, 13 from G-9, eight each from I-8, G-8 and F-6, seven from F-7, six each from Bhara Kahu, Tarlai, G-7, G-13, Rawat and F-10, five each from G-10, E-11, F-8, G-5 and D-12, four each from Rawal Town, G-14 and Chirah, three each from F-11, Khanna, Sohan, Alipur, Chak Shahzad, Kurri, Koral, G-15, Model Town Humak and Sihala, two each from I-10, I-9, D-17 and F-17 and one each from G-11, B-17, F-5, Tarnol, H-8, Bari Imam and F-15.

The tally of confirmed cases in the capital has reached 35,045, the officials said, adding that so far 28,699 had recovered with the death toll reaching 378.

The capital has 5,968 active cases out of which 147 were under treatment in hospitals, the officials said, adding that the condition of eight patients was stable, 125 required oxygen and 14 were on ventilators.

The rest had been isolated in their homes, they added.

Attock

Two more succumbed to the infection while seven others tested positive in Attock on Tuesday.

According to statistics released by health authorities, Sughra Bibi, 54, and Shabbir Ahmed, 65, both residents of Attock died in District Headquarters Hospital. On the other hand, four new positive cases were reported in Taxila, raising the tally to 826.

According to the health department, there are 222 active patients in the area and all of them were isolated at home. As many as 579 patients had been recovered from the deadly virus. — Additional reporting from Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2020