ISLAMABAD: The capital on Saturday reported over 700 Covid-19 cases for the third time since the outbreak of the pandemic in March last year with the positivity rate hitting 10.74pc.

Besides, two patients succumbed to the infection.

Officials of the capital administration said 709 cases were reported which were the second highest during the third wave.

On the other hand, six people died from the deadly virus in Rawalpindi district whereas 261 people tested positive.

On Saturday, two more deaths were also reported in the capital. Both the deaths were reported in the age group of 60-69. They were residents of Loi Bher and E-11.

During the last 24 hours, 6,601 tests were conducted and 385 men and 324 women tested positive and the positivity rate was 10.74.

Positivity rate hits 10.74pc in capital; Pindi district reports six deaths, 261 cases

The officials said 162 cases were reported in the age group of 30-39, 120 in 20-29, 107 in 40-49, 86 in 50-59, 68 in 0-9, 63 in 60-69, 62 in 10-19, 27 in 70-79 and 14 in 80 and above.

The highest number of 93 cases were reported from Loi Bher, followed by 40 from E-11, 38 from G-7, 35 from Bhara Kahu, 34 from G-10, 30 from Tarlai, 29 from Rawat, 28 each from G-9, G-6, G-8, 25 from F-10, 24 from G-11, 22 from F-11, 20 from Chak Shahzad, 17 each from I-8, Khanna, 16 from I-10, 14 from G-13, 13 each from Sohan, Kurri, 12 each from F-8, F-6, 10 from Alipur, nine from Chirrah, eight each from F-7, I-9, seven from Model Town, six each from G-15, G-12, five each from Koral, G-5, Kirpa, Jhangi Syedan, four each from D-12, B-17, three each from Sihala, H-13, D-17, two each from Tarnol, H-9, and one each from Bari Imam, F-5, H-8, G-12, I-14, F-17, H-11, E-9, G-16 and I-16.

Addresses of 16 cases were not known.

The active cases in the capital reached 7,585, out of whom 203 patients are admitted to 14 hospitals and the rest isolated at their houses. Besides, 23 patients are also on ventilators.

The occupancy rate of beds allocated for the Coivd-19 patients reached 58pc and that for ventilators 50.5pc.

Rawalpindi

Six people died from Covid-19 in Rawalpindi district on Saturday while 261 patients tested positive. Besides, 292 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery.

Irshad Begum, 73, a resident of Mohallah Hassanabad, was taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on March 26 where she died late on Friday night.

Bushra Mehmood, 77, a resident of Adiala Road, died at Shifa International Hospital where she was admitted on March 26.

Sheza Ahmed, 19, a resident of Ghareebabad, died at Holy Family Hospital where she was brought on March 26.

Mohammad Akram, 88, a resident of Sadiqabad, was admitted to Holy Family Hospital on March 26 but lost the battle against Covid-19 on Saturday.

Shahzadi Gul, 62, a resident of KRL Road, arrived at Bilal Hospital on March 26 and died on Saturday.

Mohammad Saleem, 23, from National Housing Scheme-2, was also shifted to Bilal Hospital on March 26 where he breathed his last late Friday night.

There are 2,001 active patients in the district - 184 admitted to hospitals and 1,817 isolated at their homes.

Twenty patients arrived from Taxila, 32 from Gujar Khan, five from Murree, one patient from Kallar Syedan, nine from Islamabad, two from Mandi Bahauddin and one each from Abbottabad, AJK, Jhelum, Mianwali, Rawalakot and Sialkot.

The new patients were admitted to different hospitals - 22 to Holy Family Hospital, 30 to Benazir Bhutto Hospital, 97 to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology, 30 to Fauji Foundation Hospital, two to Hearts International Hospital and three to Red Crescent Corona Care Hospital.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that 19 patients were on ventilators, 99 on oxygen and 66 stable.

He said 21,427 people tested positive since March 2020.

As many as 22,016 patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovery in the four districts - 14,682 in Rawalpindi, 1,305 in Attock, 1,592 in Jhelum and 599 in Chakwal.

He said 869 people died in the Rawalpindi division in the last 12 months - 718 in Rawalpindi, 30 in Attock, 48 in Jhelum and 73 in Chakwal.

Attock

Deputy Commissioner Attock Ali Annan Qammar on Saturday said coronavirus vaccination had been administered to 3,372 citizens across the district so far and efforts were being made to speed up the vaccination process.

He stated this while visiting a vaccination centre at Sports Complex in Hassanabdal.

He said so far 1,847 frontline health workers and 1,525 senior citizens have been vaccinated, adding vaccination centres have been established in six towns.

Chakwal

As many as 1,266 senior citizens in Chakwal district have got first shot of vaccine along with 1,714 front line health workers.

This was stated by Chief Executive Officer of District Health Authority Dr Saadat Ali Khan during a meeting of District Emergency Response Committee on Saturday.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner retired Captain Bilal Hashim. He expressed his satisfaction over the vaccination process.

The Chakwal administration has established three vaccination centres where citizens aged 60 and above are being vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the positivity rate in the district is also increasing.

District Health Officer Dr Khalid Hassan told Dawn that the number of active cases in the district is 86.

“Five patients are admitted to District Headquarters Hospital and 81 isolated at their homes,” he added.— Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal & Nabeel Anwar Dhakku

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2021