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ISLAMABAD: The Covid-19 test-positivity rate rose to 7.7pc in Islamabad on Wednesday, while two more educational institutions in the capital were sealed.
There were 228 confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported in the capital based on 2,958 tests carried out in the last 24 hours. Two Covid-19 patients have also died. Lowest number of cases last reported in the capital was four on Aug 15.
There were 21 cases reported from I-8, followed by 16 from G-9, 13 from PWD Colony, 12 from Bahria Town, 11 each from Tarlai, I-10 and Bhara Kahu, 10 each from G-11 and G-10, eight from G-13, seven each from Soan Garden, Sihala and DHA II, six each from Jhangi Syedan, G-6 and G-8, five each from H-8, G-7, F-10, E-11 and Chak Shahzad, four each from F-11 and Banigala, three each from I-19, Ghouri Town, G-5, F-8 and Alipur, and two each from Korang Town, Golra Sharif, G-15, F-6, Centaurus, CBR, Town, G-14, Falcon Complex, F-7, D-12 and B-17.
A total 154 out of 4,059 tests carried out on Tuesday were positive, a test-positivity rate of 3.79pc. On Monday, 119 positives were reported out of 2,608 tests – 4.5pc. On Sunday, 152 out of 4,271 tests came back positive, a test-positivity rate of 3.5pc.
The capital has now reported 20,471 Covid-19 cases and 224 deaths. So far, 18,378 people have recovered and the city currently has 1,735 active cases.
Two educational institutions sealed in capital; doctors’ association warns of spread of Covid-19
Officials from the capital administration said the number of active cases has been increasing gradually for the last few weeks, as the number of new cases reported daily outnumbers recoveries.
A government college in F-7/4 was sealed after six students and members of staff tested positive. This college was sealed for a second time in just three weeks, they said.
A government school in G-8/1 was also sealed after two people tested positive.
The details of students and staff and their contacts are being collected by the District Health Office. Confirmed patients have been told to isolate at home and their contacts and other exposed staff and students are to quarantine for two weeks.
Capital administration teams supervised by Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat inspected various marakiz, including in F-6, and markets to observe the enforcement of standard operating procedure and guidelines issued to limit the spread of Covid-19.
Rawalpindi
A patient has died of Covid-19 and 16 people have tested positive for the disease in Rawalpindi, while 16 patients have recovered.
A 56-year-old resident of Gulistan Colony who was brought to Holy Family Hospital on Nov 3 died Wednesday morning.
At least 7,800 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the district so far, of which 328 have died and 7,130 have recovered.
There are currently 43 confirmed patients being treated at Holy Family Hospital of which 24 are from Rawalpindi district and 19 from elsewhere. Another 299 patients are isolating at home, where they are being visited by health authority officials in some areas.
Another 545 people are still awaiting the results of their Covid-19 tests.
Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that 9,298 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 since March, including 7,800 in Rawalpindi, 664 in Attock, 522 in Jhelum and 312 in Chakwal.
There have been 398 deaths — 328 in Rawalpindi, 40 in Chakwal, 21 in Attock and nine in Jhelum – and 8,519 recoveries — 7,130 in Rawalpindi, 627 in Attock, 496 in Jhelum and 266 in Chakwal.
There are 46 patients in hospital in all four districts, 43 of which are at HFH and three at the Chakwal District Headquarters Hospital.
“A total 335 patients of four districts are isolated in their houses, including 299 in Rawalpindi, 16 in Attock and 17 in Jhelum, while three patient are isolated at home in Chakwal,” he said.
He added that hospitals in the districts have the capacity to accommodate 5,445 patients at a time, with four high dependency units that have 37 beds.
He said teams have been asked to conduct more tests and enforce SOP. People must wear masks when in public, he added.
Cancel political, religious gatherings: PIMA
The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) warned on Wednesday that Covid-19 would continue to spread in the coming days, and that the nature of the disease this time around was more severe.
The association said precautions need to be taken and political and religious gatherings need to be cancelled.
Shifa Tameer-i-Millat University Vice Chancellor Dr Mohammad Iqbal Khan, PIMA President Dr Iftikhar Burney and Young Doctors Association Islamabad President Dr Fazle Rabbi spoke at a press conference in this regard.
Dr Burney said that Covid-19 cases are increasing rapidly in the country, with an average of 1,000 people testing positive in 24 hours.
He said the disease is more likely to spread due to weather conditions.
“This situation can be dangerous, because people are not taking the disease seriously at the moment,” he said.
He added that all normal activities have resumed and large religious and political gatherings are being held. “The situation is of grave concern to the PIMA and other doctors’ organizations,” he said.
He added that many doctors are contracting the disease and some have also died. He said even doctors who have not had direct contact with Covid-19 patients are testing positive, “which indicates the severity of the disease.”
Demands by doctors were also presented at the conference. They said masks should be made mandatory and violators should be fined, the working hours of malls and markets should be minimised, and compliance with standard operating procedure should be ensured in public places, educational institutions and mosques.
An uninterrupted supply of personal protective equipment should be ensured for all doctors and medical staff and additional benefits should be provided to staff working in Covid-19 wards.
People should limit travel and must wear masks when going out in case of an emergency, and political and religious parties should cancel their gatherings, they said.
Dr Burney also said that the PIMA Health Line is continuing to provide free medical consultations.
“Anyone can consult a doctor online about their illness from across the country,” he said, adding that the lines are open from 9am to 1pm.