ISLAMABAD: Two elderly patients succumbed to Covid-19 and 66 new cases emerged in Islamabad on Monday whereas 16 others were diagnosed with the disease in Rawalpindi district during the last 24 hours.

On the other hand, round-the-clock vaccination facility will be extended to citizens in the garrison city’s allied hospitals.

The positivity rate in the capital stood at 1.9pc while 166 people were reported to have recovered from the deadly virus.

The deceased were a male and female patient who were in the 70-90 age group. Both patients were residents of Chak Shahzad and Tarnol. Officials of the capital administration said during the last 24 hours 3,366 tests were conducted in the capital.

Two succumb to virus in Islamabad

At present, the capital has 2,961 active cases, they said, adding that out of the total, 104 were in hospitals, 91 on oxygen support and 13 on ventilators. The remaining virus patients are isolated in their homes, the officials said.

Health teams traced 607 contacts of the 74 cases reported on Sunday, the officials said, adding that samples of 359 were collected. All the 74 cases and 359 suspects were isolated and quarantined in their homes, they added.

Rawalpindi

In order to vaccinate as many people as possible against the coronavirus, round-the-clock vaccination centres have been set up in allied hospitals of Rawalpindi. As many as 16 people were diagnosed with the disease across the district during the last 24 hours.

Principal of Allied Hospitals Prof Mohammad Umer told APP that these centres were established to prevent overcrowding in other centres and to ensure public safety at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital. He said residents of the city can now get vaccinated at any time.

Meanwhile, HFH Medical Superintendent Dr Shazia Rashid said that a state-of-the-art vaccination centre has been set up in the hospital while maximum awareness and guidance to those visiting was being ensured.

She said that three types of vaccine doses - AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and Sinovac - were being administered to people at the centre.

Dr Shazia said a free-of-cost facility was being provided to people at the allied hospitals of the city. A team of doctors including paramedical staff has been deployed to vaccinate people round the clock.

Meanwhile, according to the latest data shared by District Health Authority, 441,266 people including 27,598 health workers and 413,668 senior citizens have gotten vaccinated across the district since the start of the vaccination drive on March 10.

Presently, 58 confirmed patients are admitted to various facilities. As many as 20 patients are in Holy Family Hospital, eight in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, 14 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology, 15 in Fauji Foundation Hospital and one in Hearts International Hospital, the report added.

It stated that out of 17 international passengers who tested positive for Covid-19, 13 were allowed to go home after recovering while four were quarantined at Women University, Satellite town.

Attock

The positivity rate of Covid-19 cases in Attock has dropped significantly as one person was diagnosed with the disease on Monday. One patient , however, passed away.

Health authorities said Ms Anfa, who was admitted in Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital Hazro succumbed to the virus. Officials said that during the last seven days, only 21 cases were reported in the district as compared to the beginning of the third wave, when 58 patients per day were being reported.

“The situation is fast improving across the district which has shared an enormous burden of deaths and new infections since the outbreak of the virus in March last year,” said District Focal Person for Covid-19 Dr Kashif Hussain. He said the number of active patients in the district is 87, out of which 83 are home isolated while others are hospitalised. Three suspected patients are also admitted in District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital out of whom, one is in critical condition.

Responding to a question, he said the results of 1,414 suspected patients are awaited. So far 2,070 people have recovered from the virus in the district. Responding to a question, he said safe burials of 129 patients (confirmed and suspected) have been carried out so far. While giving details about them, Dr Hussain said 41 Covid-19 positive patients died in the district, 52 outside the district and 36 deaths of suspected patients were reported in district hospitals.

— Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2021