PESHAWAR: Twenty-five persons passed away and 419 more Covid-19 patients were recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday as the downtrend of coronavirus positivity continued in high-risk districts of the province including Peshawar and Mardan.

Covid-19 positivity in Peshawar, which reported eight fatalities and 122 new patients, also declined to 8.9 per cent compared to 11 per cent a week before.

Experts attribute decrease in the virus infectivity rate of the provincial metropolis to the administration’s efforts in implementing the Covid-19 precautions coupled with the vaccination of people.

Peshawar, the most populous district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has been the mainstay of the pandemic since its onset early last year.

25 more fall prey to the virus in KP

It has reported 2,540 mortalities of the total province-wide 5,354 deaths and accounted for 61,554 patients of the overall provincial tally of 170,391 detected so far.

The city is home to 1,313 active coronavirus cases of the total 7,259 in the province.

Bed occupancy in the district hospitals is 53 per cent.

The hospitals in Peshawar are currently home to 70 per cent of the total 1,450 hospitalised people due to Covid-19.

A health department report said that of the infected people, 157,778 patients (92 per cent) including 619 recorded during the last 24 hours already recovered whereas 6, 065 people were currently quarantined in government facilities or their homes.

A total of 11,830 tests were conducted of the suspected patients and overall positivity in the province was recorded six per cent.

Four coronavirus patients died in Abbottabad, another high-risk district where positivity was recorded 3.7 per cent down from 5.8 per cent reported a week before.

The city, where 35 per cent beds were occupied by Covid-19 patients, also diagnosed 26 more infections, the report said.

Dera Ismail Khan also reported four deaths due to the virus. Mardan, where bed occupancy was 38 per cent, witnessed death of four patients due to the virus where Covid-19 infectivity was recorded 7.8 per cent less than 12 per cent reported seven days ago. The district reported 13 new cases.

Two persons died of the virus in Swat, which recorded 63 per cent bed occupancy, the highest in the province.

The district also reported 12 new infections. Positivity in Swat was 2.2 per cent less than 2.8 per cent reported last week.

Two people passed away in Bajaur and Bannu, the latter also diagnosed 34 new cases.

Bannu has been the high-risk district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has recommended strictest Covid-19 restrictions.

Meanwhile, the district administration issued a notification according to which there would be complete lockdown on Friday.

These areas included Board to Karkhano Market, Circular Road Kohati Gate to Asia Gate, Railway Road to Shoba Chowk, Jehangirpura to Namak Mandi including Jehangirpura Bazaar and Gulab Khanna, Lahori Gate to Ganj Gate, Asia Gate to Tanda Koi Gate, Peshawar Ring Road from Hayatabad Toll Plaza to Garhi Qamar Din Chowk and Hashtnagri Phatak and Dalazak Road to Ring Road.

A meeting held here with Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud in the chair reviewed arrangements for the vaccination of 15-18 years age group starting from Friday, a press release said.

It said that 20 teams would vaccinate children.

The private schools have been asked by the administration to furnish lists of students of same age group or face action.

The schools showing laxity would be closed.

The education department has been directed to ensure the presence of students at the schools along with Form B to inoculate them against the Covid-19.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2021