RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: The number of critical patients are decreasing fast in hospitals. In mid-June, 250 patients were in the critical units and the number has gradually decreased, said Deputy Commissioner (DC) retired Capt Anwarul Haq on Friday.

The district administration is strictly implementing SOPs in offices, shops and public places, and teams have been formed to inspect areas as mostly people come out to bazaars for Eid shopping, the DC said, adding that cattle markets will open in the district from July 15 and all SOPs will be implemented therein.

He said at present, 105 patients are in the High Dependency Unit and 13 Covid-19 patients on ventilators and 58 on oxygen support while 34 patients are stable. The mortality rate in Rawalpindi has reduced by 5pc. Meanwhile, 41 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Rawalpindi on Friday and two patients died.

A 75-year-old man from New Shakrial and a 55-year-old woman, a resident of Satellite Town, died at the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU).

A total of 15 deaths were reported in Rawalpindi from June 22 to July 8.

Slight increase reported in confirmed cases in capital after five days

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department confirmed that 13 patients, who were also suffering from other ailments, died of Covid-19.

A senior doctor told Dawn that reports of these patients were sent to Lahore and after examining the details a board of health experts declared that 13 of them had died of Covid-19.

The number of confirmed patients in Rawalpindi reached 6,158 while 263 people have died and 4,385 patients have been discharged after recovery. Presently, 1,520 confirmed patients are under treatment, including 739 in hospitals, and 781 under home isolation.

Apart from this, 244 suspected patients are admitted in four hospitals of the city and their samples have been sent to National Institute of Health (NIH) and the laboratories at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and their reports will be available after three to four days.

Local administrations quarantined 6,450 people, who had been close contacts of confirmed patients; 3,803 of them were released after a week.

Meanwhile, 10 shops were sealed in Raja Bazaar and adjoining markets on Friday for violating standard operating procedures (SOPs). As many as 42 vehicles were impounded and the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) imposed Rs43,000 fines on public transport operators for violating SOPs.

Islamabad

A slight increase was observed in the number of confirmed cases as 98 more people tested positive in the capital on Friday. Officials said 81 confirmed cases were reported in the capital on Thursday but the number rose to 98 on Friday; the highest in a single day since the last five days.

On June 6, 85 cases were reported followed by 63 on June 7, 93 on June 8 and 81 on June 9. Three deaths were reported on June 6, two on June 8 and four on June 9.

Out of the 98 cases, 54 people were male and 44 female, they stated, adding nine cases were reported from Soan Garden, eight from Jinnah Garden, seven from Ziraj Housing, six from G-8, five each from PWD, G-6, Bhara Kahu, three each from Pakistan Town, G-9, F-10, two each from Shahzad Town, National Police Foundation, G-7, G-15, G-13, G-11, F-5, F-17, DHA, Banigala, one each from Mohra, Naval Anchorage, Nilor, Thanda Pani, Lehtrar, Khanna, Korang Town, Margalla Town, Rawat, Gokina, Humak, Gulshan-i-Jinnah, G-5, G-10, E-11 and I-9.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2020