ISLAMABAD: With the Delta variant of coronavirus spreading, the positivity ratio in the capital has risen to 6.6pc as 117 people were found infected on Monday.

Officials of the capital administration said two elderly male patients, in the 80-89 age bracket, succumbed to the virus in the last two days. Both deceased were residents of G-15, they added.

During the last 24 hours 1,752 tests were conducted, out of which the results of 64 males and 53 females came back positive, they said, adding that 29 cases were reported in the age group of 20-29, followed by 21 in 30-39, 16 each in 0-9 and 60-69, 15 in 10-19, 11 in 50-59, eight in 40-49, and one in 80 and above.

Likewise, 11 cases were reported from Lohi Bher, nine each from Bhara Kahu, G-11 and I-8, seven from Tarlai, five from G-8, four each from I-9 and Kirpa, three each from F-7, Kurri and B-17, two each from G-9, G-7, F-11, G-6, Rawat, F-8, G-13, F-10 and I-14, and one each from G-10, Khanna, Sohan, E-11, Chak Shahzad, Koral, Chirrah, Model Town, G-14, D-17 and Saidpur.

Delta variant spreads 10 times faster, official says

Meanwhile, amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, the district administration of Rawalpindi with the help of All Rawalpindi Restaurants Association (ARRA) set up a second vaccination camp in Commercial Market.

Rawalpindi’s Additional Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Qasim Ejaz inaugurated the camp at a refreshment centre and assured the hotel industry’s office-bearers that the administration will extend support to them.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Monday, ARRA President Chaudhry Mohammad Farooq said the association was determined to vaccinate 100pc of the staff associated with the hotel industry.

He added that the hotel industry had been playing a pivotal role to curb spread of Covid-19 and thanked the administration for their cooperation in setting up various camps in the city.

According to him, the association will also arrange vaccination certificates for those being vaccinated in these camps from National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).

Earlier, on July 5, the district administration Rawalpindi and ARRA started administering vaccines in Saddar.

APP ADDS: The Delta variant of coronavirus, which has emerged in the district, spreads over 10 times faster compared to other variants of the disease, District Health Surveillance Officer Dr Waqar Ahmed said on Monday.

Talking to journalists, he said that the Delta variant was more transmissible and badly affected the human respiratory system. He advised residents to use double face masks, avoid visiting crowded places and dispose of the mask after using it for the first time. Dr Waqar urged residents to get themselves vaccinated at the earliest to avoid further spread of the disease.

Meanwhile, according to data shared by the District Corona Management Centre, 31 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 during the last 24 hours in the district and no casualties were reported.

As many as 15 patients belong to Rawal Town, two are from Potohar town, three from Rawalpindi Cantt, two from Taxila, three from Islamabad and one each from Kahuta, Gujar Khan, Attock, Sargodha, Abbottabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Presently, 59 confirmed patients are admitted in various facilities of the city including 16 in Holy Family Hospital, nine in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, 25 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) and nine in Fauji Foundation Hospital.

One patient is on a ventilator in critical condition, 24 stable and the condition of 34 patients is stated to be moderate.

So far 870,985 people including 32,159 health workers and 838,826 senior citizens have been vaccinated against the virus across the district.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2021