Pandemic claims seven lives in last 48 hours
There were 12 initiatives under the relief package and the lowest spending was against the relief package announced for daily wage workers and subsidies given through the Utility Stores Corporation, according to the policy brief, ‘The Economic Impact of the Government’s Relief Package’. PHOTO: REUTERS/File
The novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic claimed seven lives in Rawalpindi during the past couple of days, while 92 more patients were admitted in the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and the Rawalpindi institute of Urology and Kidney Transplant (RIUKT) on Saturday.
According to officials, 67 patients of Covid-19 infection at RIUKT were getting oxygen to survive, while another 10 have been shifted on oxygen.
After the coronavirus alert in government hospitals, the District Health Office has increased testing for Covid-19. DHO officials said that in the second wave of Covid-19, most of the patients coming to the hospitals were those in need of oxygen to survive. They said that the smart lockdown imposed by the district administration has proved ineffective and violations of SOPs have increased in the markets.
Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 cases continued to surge in the federal capital, as 132 more people have tested positive for the viral infection during the last 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said on Saturday.
According to an NCOC official, 186 new coronavirus cases were reported on Friday and 146 on Thursday. He said so far 38,020 cases were reported from the Federal Capital, with 421 deaths. Some 34,617 patients had recovered completely.
Meanwhile on the direction of Ministry of National Health Services, the ICT district administration continued smart lockdowns in different streets of the capital to reduce transmission of the infection.
The inspection teams also started taking actions on violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Published in The Express Tribune, January 3rd, 2021.