ISLAMABAD: While Islamabad’s weekly positivity and daily Covid-19 cases have dropped considerably in the last three weeks, health authorities are excepting to achieve the target of fully vaccinating 90pc of the population by next month.

On the other hand, 145 people were found infected with the virus on Sunday and the positivity rate was recorded at 2.92pc.

According to data available with Dawn, in the last week of January the weekly positivity was 16.45pc and 9,037 infections were reported in seven days. In the first week of February, the positivity dropped to 10.26pc with 4,864 cases, and last week the positivity decreased to 5pc with 1,700 cases reported.

Health authorities hopeful to achieve target of fully vaccinating 90pc of population next month

The number of cases was 311 on Feb 11 which dropped to 181 on Feb 12 and samples collected on Saturday showed 145 people infected. The daily positivity was 5.58pc on Feb 11 that also gradually dropped to 2.92pc.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Zaeem Zia told Dawn that the situation was under control as cases were gradually decreasing.

“Islamabad has the lowest mortality and highest diagnosis and highest percentage of fully vaccinated people. In fact, we have been increasing vaccination by one per cent every week and are hopeful to fully vaccinate 90pc vaccine eligible population of the city by next month. Currently, 95pc of the eligible population has got at least one dose,” he said.

When asked why there was so much rush at vaccination centres, Dr Zia said a large number of people were getting booster doses that’s why the staff remained busy in the centres.

“I urge people across the country to get vaccinated at the earliest as vaccination reduces chances of hospitalisation. In Islamabad, highest percentage of people, compared to other cities, has been vaccinated and that is why the mortality rate in the capital is the lowest in the country,” he said.

Rawalpindi

One person died in the district of Rawalpindi while 69 more people tested positive and 142 patients recovered from the disease on Sunday.

Raj Begum, 83, a resident of Bahria Town Phase-8, was admitted to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) on February 12 where she died.

According to the health authority, the positivity ratio in the district was recorded at 4.23pc on Sunday. A total of 1,630 samples were collected out of which 69 were found infected with the virus.

In the district, there are 940 active patients - 101 in hospitals and 839 home isolated.

As many as 17 patients reported from different parts of Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonments, 12 from city areas and 15 patients from Potohar Town.

Moreover, eight patients arrived from Gujar Khan, four each from Taxila and Kahuta, seven from Kallar Syedan and one each from Kotli Sattian and Gujrat.

There are 101 patients admitted in different hospitals of Rawalpindi city - four each in Benazir Bhutto Hospital and Holy Family Hospital, one in District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, 36 in Fauji Foundation Hospital, 49 patients in RIU, two in Hearts International Hospital, three in Bilal Hospital and two in Attock Hospital Rawalpindi.

Seven of the patients are on ventilator, 55 are on oxygen and 29 are stable.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2022