• Urges people to avoid Eid shopping, travelling
• 505 test positive in twin cities, six die in Pindi

ISLAMABAD: The district administration has expressed hope that the Covid-19 situation in the capital will improve following deployment of the armed forces for enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs). The administration also urged people to avoid Eid shopping as well as travelling during their holidays, asking them to spend the festival in the capital itself.

On the other hand, Islamabad saw a drop in the single day count of Covid-19 cases with 368 people getting infected. However, the weekly positivity ratio went up further. Rawalpindi meanwhile, reported six casualties and 137 new patients.

According to documents, available with Dawn, 617 cases were reported on April 23 and 563 on Saturday. However weekly positivity rate, which was 2.6pc in the second half of February, reached 9.4pc between April 12 to 18. During the last week between April 19 to 25, the ratio stood at 10.6pc.

District Health Officer Islamabad Dr Zaeem Zia said the enforcement of SOPs would improve with the deployment of the armed forces. The decision to get the service of officials from the armed forces was taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan on April 23 during a National Coordination Committee meeting.

On Sunday, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed announced that a notification had been issued to provide services of the armed forces to all federating units, apart from Sindh.

Dr Zia said the number of cases increase and decrease in phases.

“Moreover we have been focusing on contact tracing through which some times cases between 30pc to 50pc are detected. It really helps in breaking the chain of the virus,” he said, adding that last year, on the occasion of Eid, people went to their native cities and became carriers of the virus when they returned to Islamabad.

“We urge masses that they should avoid Eid shopping as it will not change anything if they wear old dresses. Moreover people should spend Eid in Islamabad to avoid further transmission of the virus,” he said.

Meanwhile on Sunday, Islamabad Transport Authority secretary, along with field staff, inspected public transportation and bus stands/terminals in order to ensure the implementation of inter-provincial lockdown, Covid-19 SOPs, overcharging, overloading, route completion, route permits and so on.

In this regard, 43 vehicles were challaned for committing violations whereas 25 vehicles were impounded. Fines amounting to Rs109,000 were imposed.

Rawalpindi

As many as six people lost their lives to Covid-19 in Rawalpindi district on Sunday while 137 others tested positive. As many as 198 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovering during the last 48 hours.

The deceased were identified as Khadija Bibi, 53, Memoona Asghar, 59, Tahir Hashmi, 46, Haji Altaf, 67, Mohammad Rashid, 49 and 50-year-old Mohammad Jameel.

In Rawalpindi district, there are 2,009 active patients. As many as 205 of them are in hospitals including 71 who arrived from other districts and 1,804 are home isolated. A total of 655 patients are waiting for the results of their Covid-19 serology.

As many as 87 of the new patients arrived from other districts while 80 are from the garrison city, 14 from Gujar Khan, 13 from Taxila, one from Kotli Sattian, 15 from Kahuta, three from Murree, 10 from Islamabad, three from Chakwal, two from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one each from Jhelum, Attock, Gujrat and Quetta.

According to the breakdown, 33 patients are admitted to Holy Family Hospital, 27 are under treatment in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, three in District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, 127 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU), 27 in Fauji Foundation Hospital and three in Hearts International Hospital.

There are 25 patients on ventilators in Rawalpindi, 128 are on oxygen support and 65 are stable.

Attock

As many as 31 more people were diagnosed with Covid-19 in Attock and one patient lost her battle with the disease.

According to official sources, this is the highest single day tally of Covid-19 patients in the district during the month of April. District Focal Person for Covid-19 Kashif Hussain said 60-year-old Khursheed Bibi, a resident of Hazro, who was admitted to DHQ hospital succumbed to the virus.

He said out of the 31 patients who tested positive on Sunday, 19 belonged to Attock, four to Hazro and eight to Pindigheb. The number of active patients in the district is 302 out of which 298 are home isolated while four others are hospitalised, he said, adding six suspected patients are also admitted and all are in critical condition.

Moreover, during crackdown against violators of Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in commercial and business centre of Hazro town, a team of the local administration led by Assistant Commissioner Shagufta Jabeen fined people for not wearing masks.

As many as 16 shops were sealed besides one plaza while two shopkeepers were booked and sent behind bars during the crackdown.

Taxila

Eight people were found infected with coronavirus in the city on Sunday while the district administration imposed a smart lockdown in two Covid-19 hotspots.

It may be mentioned here that these areas were put under lockdown in the past too but people did not follow SOPs which is why number of positive cases in both areas surged again. Movement of traders has been restricted.

According to a notification issued by the local administration, wearing of masks has been made mandatory and anyone found without one will be fined Rs500. Inter-city public transport has also been suspended till further orders.— Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2021