ISLAMABAD: Nine people lost their lives to Covid-19 in the twin cities - four in Islamabad and five in Rawalpindi - on Saturday.

Besides, 431 more cases emerged in the capital and 171 in garrison city. Officials of the capital administration said the deceased, two males and two females, were in the age group of 60-69, 70-79, 50-59. They were residents of E-11, I-10, F-11 and Sihala. The officials said the death toll from the virus had increased to 683.

In the last 24 hours, 4,948 tests were conducted in the capital and the positivity rate remained 8.71 per cent.

There are 12,495 active cases, the officials said, adding Loi Bher has 852 active cases followed by 644 at Tarlai, 591 at Bhara Kahu, 505 at G-6, 443 at G-10, 424 at G-11, 410 in G-9, 407 in I-8, 376 in G-7, 340 in E-11, 335 in I-10, 332 in Rawat, 307 in G-8, 276 in F-11, 258 each in Chak Shahzd, Sohan, 248 in G-13, 246 in Khanna, 242 in F-6, 226 in Alipur, 222 in F-10, 198 in F-8, 187 in Kurri, 148 in I-9, 142 in F-7, 111 in SIhala, 107 in Koral. The addresses of 1,884 patients are not known.

Meanwhile, teams from the capital administration continued enforcing Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in markets and commercial centres.

On the direction of Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat, Magistrate Saddar Zone Mir Yameen inspected commercial centres in Tarnol, including Multiprofessional Cooperative Housing Society and B-17.

Violations of the lockdown and SOPs were spotted in these areas and fines were imposed on shopkeepers and property dealers.

Rawalpindi

Five patients died and 171 more people tested positive in Rawalpindi on Saturday.

Officials said Shaheen Kausar, 53, a resident of Chaudhry Zaman Colony, was admitted to Dr Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital on April 30 where she died.

Mohammad Sharif, 65, a resident of Sadiqabad, died at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) a day after his hospitalisation.

Nusrat Bibi, 74, a resident of Westridge-III, and Mohammad Shareef, 98, of Adiala Road, passed away at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU).

Zainab Bibi, 70, a resident of Tench

Bhatta, was admitted to the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre on April 30 where she died.

There are 2,095 active patients in the district - 467 in hospitals 1,628 in home isolation. Moreover, 707 patients are waiting for the results of their Covid-19 serology.

Of the new cases, 125 were reported from the garrison city - 46 from cantonment, 35 from Potohar Town and 44 from Rawal Town areas.

Besides, 17 patients arrived came from Gujar Khan, nine from Taxila, one from Kahuta and Kotli Sattian, two from Kallar Syedan, seven from Murree, five from Islamabad, two from Abbotttabad and one each from Attock, Chakwal and Jhelum.

Officials said 29 each of the new patients were admitted to Holy Family Hospital and Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 84 to the RIU, 20 to Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), five to Hearts International Hospital and to Begum Akhter Rukhsana Hospital. As many as 13 patients are on ventilators, 105 on oxygen and 50 are stable.

Attock

Two more persons died of the virus in Attock while three people tested positive, raising the number of patients to 1,977.

Sources in the health department said Shahdat Bibi, 65, and Hashim, 60, both residents of Attock city, died at the district headquarters hospital. The three new cases were also reported from the Attock city.

District focal person for Covid-19 Kashif Hussain said the number of active patients in the district was 233. He said so far 1,707 patients have recovered in the district.

Taxila

At least 11 new cases were reported in Taxila in the last 24 hours, raising the number of patients to 1,520.

According to sources, an 11-year-old boy from Gulistan Colony in Ward 1 of Wah is among the new patients. There are 225 active patients in the area and221 of them are home isolated. So far, 902 patients have recovered. — Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2021