RAWALPINDI: As many as 63 doctors, nurses and paramedical staff at seven tehsil headquarters (THQ) hospitals in Rawalpindi district have contracted Covid-19 since Jan 10. However, all services, including the outpatient departments (OPD), are functioning in these hospitals.

On the other hand, one person succumbed to the virus and over 1,400 people got infected in Rawalpindi and Islamabad districts in the last 24 hours.

District Health Authority spokesman Dr Waqar Ahmed said all doctors, nurses and paramedics were stable and had been isolated at home for five days. He said most of the affected health officials were from the THQ Hospital Gujar Khan.

He said 10 doctors, four nurses, five paramedical staff and three other health workers were found infected at the THQ Hospital Gujar Khan. The other infected staffers were five doctors at the THQ Hospital Kahuta, one nurse, four doctors at the THQ Hospital Taxila, two nurses, one paramedical staff and two doctors at the THQ Hospital Kotli Sattian, eight doctors at the THQ Hospital Kallar Syedan, one nurse, five doctors, two nurses at the THQ Hospital Murree and three doctors, a nurse, two paramedical staff and another health worker at the Wah General Hospital.

l Majority cases surface in Gujar Khan l Positivity rate falls in both districts l One dies, over 1,400 people test positive

Meanwhile, one person died of Covid-19 and 166 tested positive from a total of 1,525 samples that were collected in Rawalpindi on Sunday.

A total of 192 patients also recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours.

Abdus Subhan, 76, a resident of Bahria Town Phase-8, was brought to Dr Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital on Jan 29 where he died.

According to official data, the positivity ratio in the district dropped to 10.91pc on Sunday from 16.48pc recorded on Saturday.

There are 3,116 active patients in the district as of Jan 30, with 98 requiring hospitalisation and 3,018 were isolated at home.

As many as 51 patients reported from different parts of Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonments, 33 from city areas and 45 from Potohar Town.

Besides, eight patients came from Gujar Khan, six from Taxila, 15 from Kahuta, 27 from Kallar Syedan and one from Murree.

There are 98 patients admitted to different hospitals out of whom 11 were in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, seven in Holy Family Hospital, 35 in Fauji Foundation Hospital, 42 were admitted to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology while one patient each was at Attock Hospital Rawalpindi, Hearts International Hospital and Bilal Hospital.

There are six patients on ventilators, 48 required oxygen support and 44 are stable.

Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner Headquarters Marzia Saleem visited Westridge to monitor the sealing of a street. She urged people to stay indoors to avoid spread of the virus.

Five other localities were also sealed where movement of people was restricted. These localities included Khan Avenue, Muslim Town and Chaklala Scheme III.

Furthermore, Assistant Commissioner Cantonment Rawalpindi Anisha Hisham sealed four marriage halls for holding indoor events in violation of standard operating procedures and imposed a fine of Rs200,000 on the owners. The sealed premises are Asad Marriage Hall, Askari Marriage Hall on Misrial Road and Askari Wedding Hall and Zarin Marriage Hall in Dhoke Syedan.

Islamabad

As many as 1,270 people were found infected with Covid-19 in the federal capital as the positivity rate hovered over 14pc on Sunday.

The number of cases had fallen below double digit in the first week of December but since the emergence of the Omicron variant, they have been continuously rising in the capital.

Talking to Dawn, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Zaeem Zia said the number of patients that required hospitalisation was increasing.

“The positivity ratio has remained over 14pc as more people have been infected compared to last month. We advise residents to strictly adhere to the SOPs and maintain social distance. Moreover, people should get themselves vaccinated and those who have already been inoculated should go for the booster shot,” he said.

Dr Zia said it had been proven that there were fewer chances of infection among vaccinated people and in case of infection, possibility of hospitalisation among them was low.

He said the health department was aggressively conducting tests in educational institutions and more than 100 schools and colleges were locked down in the current month.

“A large number of frontline workers of the district health office have contracted the virus and a similar situation exists in the Deputy Commissioner’s Office but we are doing our best to control the virus,” he added.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2022