ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: There are still five areas in the capital considered hotspots for the coronavirus, even though the number of new cases reported every day has stayed below 100 for a few days.

Capital administration officials said that G-6, G-7, G-8, I-8 and I-10 are still hotspots for the coronavirus; sub-sectors in most of these areas were previously sealed. I-8/3, I-8/4, I-10/1 and I-10/2 were unsealed on July 1 after a two-week lockdown, and G-6/1, G-6/2 and G-7/2 were unsealed on July 8.

The officials said that ground surveillance by the District Health Office has found that these sectors remain hotspots.

There 69 confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported from G-7 between July 5 and July 13, followed by 45 from I-8, 42 from G-8, 41 from G-6 and 33 from I-10.

The capital has now reported 14,108 cases of Covid-19 and 155 deaths. There are currently 2,626 active cases in the capital.

Islamabad reported 181 cases in the last two days as well as three deaths.

There were 96 cases reported on July 12 and 85 on July 13. There have been fewer than 100 new cases reported daily since July 6, the officials said.

The three deaths were reported from G-7, G-11 and F-10.

G-8 currently has the highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases with 201, followed by 199 in Lohi Bher, 144 in I-8, 128 each in G-7 and G-9, 117 in G-6, 108 in Bhara Kahu, 102 in Tarlai, 91 in I-10, 77 in G-10, 74 in G-11, 68 in Rawat, 67 in Khanna, 56 in F-11, 53 in Sohan, 50 in E-11, 49 each in Chak Shahzad, F-6 and F-8, 44 in I-9, 36 each in F-7 and Koral, 35 in Alipur, 33 in G-13, 29 in F-10, 25 in G-5, 23 in G-15, 18 in E-9, 17 in F-5, 15 each in B-17 and Tarnol, 14 each in Kuri and Model Town, 13 in F-17, 12 each in H-13 and Jhangi Syedan, 11 each in G-14 and Sihala, and 10 each in Chirrah, Kirpa and Rawal Town.

Another 26 areas have fewer than 10 active cases each.

The officials said that 118 restaurants and 599 shops have been sealed between July 5 and July 13 for violating standard operating procedures (SOP) to limit the spread of the coronavirus, along with 34 workshops and 16 industrial units.

Fines totalling Rs1.7 million have been imposed on shops for violations as well, while Rs268,650 in fines have been imposed on individuals for violating SOPs.

Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi has reported two more deaths and 18 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 267 and the number of cases to 5,659.

In addition, 4,424 patients have recovered so far. The results of 208 suspected patients are still awaited.

Of the 267 deaths, 107 were reported in Rawal Town, 78 in the cantonment areas, 45 in Potohar Town, 17 in Gujar Khan, eight in Taxila, six each in Kahuta and Kallar Syedan and one each in Murree and Kotli Sattian.

Residents of Rawalpindi have also continued to ignore standard operating procedures, particularly when it comes to social distancing, as markets were crowded on Monday.

People could also be seen violating social distancing guidelines and not wearing masks in sealed areas such as Dhoke Khabba, Gulistan Colony and Range Road Area, Lane No.4 in PIA Colony, despite the presence of police contingents on the corner of roads.

The Rawalpindi chief traffic officer on Monday visited the three sealed areas where the City Traffic Police have set up 12 check posts and deployed 46 wardens at their points of entry.

As part of the lockdown in these areas, in addition to implementing SOPs to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, riding pillion and public service movement is banned while the use of masks is mandatory. The lockdown will continue until July 24.

Attock

Seven new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Attock on Monday, bringing the total to 523, district health authorities said.

According to district health authorities, one suspected Covid-19 patient - a 52-year-old woman who lived in Attock Cantt - has also died.

The district’s focal person on Covid-19, Dr Asif Arbab Niazi, said that of the new cases, four are from Hazro and three from Attock city.

He said there are 188 active patients across the district including 108 in Attock city, of whom six are hospitalised and 102 are under home isolation, while all 51 patients from Hazro are isolated in their homes, three of Fatehjang’s 14 patients are hospitalised and 11 are under home isolation and of the nine patients in Pindigheb one is in hospital and eight are at home. All five patients confirmed in Jand are isolated in their homes and one patient in Hassanabdal is also at home.

He added that the results of 275 suspected patients are still awaited.

Nine people were also diagnosed with Covid-19 in Taxila on Monday, bringing the tally there to 383.

Deputy District Officer Health Dr Sara Qadeer said that six of the new patients are female and three are male; all the new cases are from urban areas in Wah and are isolated in their homes, she added.

Dr Qadeer said that 18 patients are currently in hospital, 254 are under home isolation and 93 have recovered.

— Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2020