• Daily positivity rate in Islamabad increases again
• In Pindi, two patients succumb to virus l Six localities sealed, 12 educational institutions closed

ISLAMABAD: After detection of 100 cases of Covid-19 among employees in the last one week, the administration of Polyclinic on Thursday decided to close all the outpatient departments (OPDs).

Moreover, the hospital also suspended elective surgeries. However, the emergency department will remain open and emergency surgeries will be performed round the clock.

According to a document of the hospital available with Dawn, due to the sharply increasing positivity rate among employees as well as patients the OPDs will remain closed from Jan 28 to Jan 31.

However, doctors and staff will be on duty in their offices/wards as per the duty roster. All staff working in OPDs will report to the security office. However, the attached dispensaries/medical centres will continue working.

Polyclinic’s media coordinator Dr Jabbar Bhutto told Dawn that there were around 100 active cases among the employees of the hospital.

“Three to four cases were being detected from each OPD on a daily basis due to which initially it was decided to reduce the OPD timing from 8am to 11am but the decision further increased the rush as the majority of people used to reach the hospital at 7am and stayed till 11am. It was feared that the emergency services would be stopped because of the increasing cases,” he said.

“Now it has been decided to close OPDs so the emergency services would remain available without any interruption. A meeting will be held on Jan 31 to decide if the OPDs will be kept closed or not,” he said.

Dr Bhutto suggested to the citizens to strictly adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) including wearing masks and maintaining social distance.

Last week, the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) decided to reduce the number of patients at each OPD from around 700 to only 100 after 200 employees of the hospital were found infected.

Meanwhile, an increase was once again observed in the number of Covid-19 cases and the positivity rate on Thursday.

Officials of the capital administration said 1,285 cases were reported on Thursday compared to 685 on Wednesday. During the last 24 hours, 7,665 tests were conducted and 781 males and 504 females were found infected with a 16.76pc positivity rate, which was 10.59pc on Wednesday.

The officials said 350 cases were reported in the age group of 30-39, 276 in 20-29, 207 in 40-49, 137 in 50-59, 129 in 0-9, 101 in 10-19, 62 in 60-69, 15 in 70-79 and eight in 80 and above.

Likewise, 92 cases were reported from Rawat, 89 from Loi Bher, 30 from G-9, 26 each from I-8 and G-6, 24 from G-10, 23 from E-11, 21 from Sohan, 19 each from F-6 and F-7, 18 each from F-8, and G-7, 17 from Bhara Kahu, 15 from G-8, 13 each from F-10, I-9, G-5, 12 from G-13, 11 each from G-11, F-11, I-12, nine from Tarlai, seven each from I-10, Khanna, Koral and Alipur, six from Chak Shahzad, five from D-12, four each from Kurri, G-14, and F-17, three each from Sihala, Rawal Town, H-8, H-12, I-11 and Model Town Humak, two each from E-7, B-17, H-13, F-15, and Saidpur, one each from G-15, Bari Imam, H-11, F-5, Kirpa, I-14, G-12, Jhangi Syedan and E-18.

The number of active cases in the capital reached 10,939, the officials said, adding 92 patients were admitted in hospitals and the rest home isolated.

Rawalpindi

The district administration of Rawalpindi imposed smart lockdown in six localities till Feb 2 as the virus spread there.

Moreover, 12 educational institutions, including Pir Mehar Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, were closed for 10 days after 99 students and staff members contracted the virus.

The areas sealed are: Street No 6 Shamsabad, Street No 3 Racecourse Road, Street No 4 Khan Avenue Chaklala Scheme 3, Street No 7 and 8 Mohammadi City Muslim Town, Street No 18 Chaklala Scheme 3 and Street No 27 Wah Model Town Phase-II Taxila.

A senior official of the district administration said police had been asked to deploy force in the areas to restrict the movement of people. He said all markets, restaurants, government and private offices will remain closed in the areas.

District Health Authority spokesman Dr Waqar Ahmed said that a university, two colleges and nine schools in the public sector had been sealed.

He said 11 students and faculty members tested positive at the arid agriculture university along with 88 students and staff members of other institutions.

The closed schools are: Government Girls High School Gorakpur, Government Girls High School Shakrial, Government Faizul Islam High School Shakrial, Government Khatija Girls High School, Government Girls High School Kallar Syedan, Government Girls High School Tench Bhata, Government Girls High School Satellite Town F. Block, Government Boys Comprehensive School Dhoke Kashmirian and Government MC Boys Primary School Muslim Town.

The colleges are: Government Associate College for Women Dhoke Mangtial and Government Associate College for Women Jhanda Chichi. The educational institutions were sealed till February 6.

Meanwhile, two persons lost their lives to Covid-19 in the district while 342 people tested positive and 96 patients were discharged from hospitals.

Jamil Akhter, 73, a resident of Chaklala, and Suriya Begum, 48, of Chakwal, were admitted to Fauji Foundation Hospital where they passed away.

As per data released by the Punjab government, 2,688 samples were collected in the last 24 hours out of which 342 were found infected with the positivity ratio of 12.72pc.

There are 2,802 active patients - 64 in hospitals and 2,738 home isolated. Five of the patients are on ventilators, 25 on oxygen and 34 are stable.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2022