• Over 550 new cases emerge in capital, Pindi district
• More beds, ventilators arranged for patients

ISLAMABAD: Five people died of Covid-19 and 354 more people were found infected in the capital on Tuesday. Another four lost their lives in the neighbouring garrison city.

Officials of the capital administration said two deaths were reported in the age group of 30-39 and both were males. The death of a male each was reported in the age group of 60-69 and 80-89. A woman in the age group of 70-79 also succumbed to the virus.

They were residents of Loi Bher, G-6, I-10, B-17 and H-13. With the latest casualties, the death toll from Covid-19 in the capital has reached 670.

During the last 24 hours, 4,423 tests were conducted and the positivity rate remained 8 per cent.

There are currently 12,613 active cases in Islamabad.

The officials said 35 more beds and another 10 ventilators were allocated for Covid-19 patients in the city. Arrangements have been made in the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre (IHITC).

Now, the number of beds allocated for Covid-19 patients has increased to 871 and the number of ventilators has risen from 118 to 125.

There are 541 patients admitted to 16 hospitals out of whom 475 are on oxygen and 66 on ventilators.

There are also scores of patients admitted to private hospitals, but their data is not available.

Rawalpindi

Four patients died of Covid-19 in the district on Tuesday while 213 more people tested positive in a single day.

As many as 184 people were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the deadly virus.

The Punjab health services department recommended a smart lockdown in Gulistan Colony in Rawalpindi as five cases surfaced in the area in one day.

Shaheen Akhtar, 57, a resident of Khana Pul, died at the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) where she was admitted on April 15. Mohammad Saleem, 58, a resident of Post Office Papan, died at Max Hospital where he was brought on April 26. Tahira Bibi, 35, a resident of Post Office Jata, was shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences on April 26 but succumbed to the virus the next day.

Sagheera Begum, 67, a resident of Gujar Khan, also died at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences where she was admitted on April 26.

There are 1,723 active patients in the district - 219 in hospitals and 1,504 home isolated. Moreover, 675 patients are waiting for their results.

Officials said 56 of the new patients were from cantonment areas, 48 from Potohar Town and 60 from Rawal Town.

Besides, 21 patients came from Taxila, four from Gujar Khan, three from Kallar Syedan, five from Kahuta, two from Kotli Sattian, two from Murree, three from Islamabad, two from Mianwali and one each from KP, Chakwal and Jhelum.

Of the new patients, 33 were admitted to Holy Family Hospital, 38 to Benazir Bhutto Hospital, two to District Headquarters Hospital, 117 to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology, 30 were being treated at Fauji Foundation Hospital and one at Begum Akhtar Rukhsana Hospital.

There are 22 patients on ventilators and 130 on oxygen.

Additional Commissioner Coordination Jahangir Ahmed told Dawn that there were 2,346 active patients in the four districts of Rawalpindi division – 1,723 in Rawalpindi, 305 in Attock, 123 in Jhelum and 195 in Chakwal.

Attock

After an alarming surge in coronavirus cases in Attock, the district administration swung into action and launched a crackdown on violators of the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

A team of the district administration led by Deputy Commissioner Ali Annan Qammar launched a crackdown in Hazro town. During the crackdown, nine shopkeepers were arrested and cases registered against them for not wearing face masks. Moreover, 10 shops were sealed and a fine of Rs50,000 imposed on their owners.

A fine of Rs10,000 was also imposed on each shopkeeper for violating SOPs. The local administration in Attock city also launched a crackdown against violators.

A team led by Assistant Commissioner Zaibul Nisa sealed two shops, one snooker club and one gym and also imposed fines on violators.

Meanwhile, the number of cases in Attock surged to 1,932 after 10 more patients emerged on Tuesday.

Health officials said 55-year-old Arab Sultan, who was admitted to the THQ hospital Hazro, succumbed to the virus.

The officials said nine people have died of the virus in Hazro town in April.

District focal person for Covid-19 Kashif Hussain said eight of the new patients belonged to Attock city and two to Hazro. He said the number of active patients in the district is 304, with 300 are home isolated.— Additional reporting by Amjad Iqbal

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2021