ISLAMABAD: A considerable decline was seen in the number of Covid-19 cases as well as the positivity rate in the capital on Saturday.

However, five people died of the disease. Officials said 241 positive cases were reported in the city. It is for the first time since March 9 when less than 250 people have been founded infected. During the last 24 hours, 4,713 tests were conducted and the positivity rate was 5.11pc. On Friday, 599 cases were reported with 10.3pc positivity rate.

The death of one male patient each was reported in the age group of 40-49, 70-79 and 80-89. Two women in the age group of 50-59 and 60-69 also succumbed to the virus.

They were the residents of Loi Bher, G-9, Rawat, Alipur and Kirpa. The number of active cases in the capital has reached 12,447 while so far 631 patients have died.

10 localities sealed in Rawalpindi

Since the outbreak of the virus in the capital, 14,578 people in the age group of 30-39 contracted the virus followed by 12,800 in 20-29, 10,608 in 40-49, 8,676 in 50-59, 6,872 in 0-9, 5,799 in 10-19, 5,600 in 60-69, 2426 in 70-79 and 854 in 80 and above. The age group of 452 patients could not be known.

The highest number of deaths were reported in the age group of 60-69, which is 190 (115 males and 75 females), followed by 163 (111 males and 52 females) in 70-79, 104 in 50-59 (70 males and 34 females), 84 (53 males and 31 females) in 80-89, 51 (35 males and 16 females) in 40-49, 18 (10 males and eight females) in 90-99, 17 (eight males and nine females) in 30-39, two ( one each male and female) in 20-29 and one (male) each in 0-9 and 10-19.

Rawalpindi

Amid the increasing number of Covid-19 cases, the district administration sealed 10 localities in Rawalpindi on Saturday.

Six of these areas are in Rawalpindi, three in Gujar Khan and one is in Taxila.

These hotspots are: Takbeer Lane Adiala, Judicial Apartments in Civil Lines, Kashmir House Mandra, Chakri Road, Street No 3 Tench Bhatta, Lane No 5 Peshawar Road, Mohalla Lala Rukh Wah Cantonment, Mohalla Kardian, Dhoke Kanyal and Chehari Banjeyal in Gujar Khan.

DeputyCommissioner Anwarul Haq told Dawn that a lockdownhad been enforced in nine hotspots to prevent further spread of the virus.

He said under thesmartlockdownpolicy, the district administration sealed only the streets and specific houses where more patients had been reported in the last two weeks.

He said shops of daily use items like milk,groceryand edibles will remain open from 9am to 7 pm while clinics and chemist shops would remain open for 24 hours.

Meanwhile, three patients succumbed to Covid-19 on Saturday while 117 more people tested positive. Moreover, 123 patients were discharged from hospitals during the last 24 hours.

Tahir Butt, 74 years old, a resident of Kallar Syedan, was brought to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) on April 5 where he died.

Safdar Sultana, 69, a resident of Lala Rukh Colony Wah Cantonment, died at the RIU where he was admitted on April 7.

Zulfiqar Ali, 45, a resident of Mohra Baroga, was admitted to Holy Family Hospital on April 16 where he also died.

Of the new patients, 74 reported from the garrison city - 22 from the cantonment, 23 from Potohar Town and 29 from Rawal Town.

Moreover, 21 patients came from Gujar Khan, seven from Taxila, one each from Murree, Kallar Syedan and Kotli Sattian, six patients from Islamabad, three from AJK, one each from Chakwal, Attock and AJK.

There are 2924 active patients in the district - 683 are in hospitals and 2,241 home isolated. Besides, 640 patients are waiting for the results for their Covid-19 serology.

Officials said 35 of the new patients were admitted in Holy Family Hospital, 30 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), two in the District Headquarters Hospital, 118 in RIU, 20 patients in Fauji Foundation Hospital and three in Hearts International Hospital.

There are 27 patients on ventilators, 128 on oxygen and 53 are stable.

SOPs violated

No standard operating procedures (SOPs) are being followed in bazaars and markets as people were seen without face masks. Shopkeepers also did not maintain social distancing in Moti Bazaar, Narankari Bazaar and adjoining bazaars.

Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Anwarul Haq said 10 restaurants, 19 shopping malls were sealed while Rs100,000 fines imposed on the violators of the SOPs on Friday.

Attock

At least 26 more people tested positive and three others died of Covid-19 during the last 24 hours in the district of Attock.

According to official sources, 70-year-old Ghulam Fatima, a resident of Hazro, and Bibi Jan, 65, and Aslam, 65, residents of Attock city, passed away at the DHQ hospital.

District focal person for Covid-19 Kashif Hussain said with the new infections the tally increased to 1,781.

He said 11 of the new patients belonged to Attock, six each to Hazro and Jand and one each to Fatehjang, Hassanabdal and Pindigheb. He said there are 383 active patients in the district - 377 home isolated and six hospitalised. Moreover, 13 suspected patients are also admitted to the DHQ hospital.

Taxila

Four more positive cases emerged in Taxila. Health officials recommended smart lockdowns in New Lalazar, Hashmi Street, Lala Rukh, Wah Cantt and one urban part of Taxila city. — Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2021