Covid rears its ugly head

55 new cases with three deaths reported in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI:

The spread of coronavirus is gaining pace yet again in the Rawalpindi district while there is a threat that the patients might be infected with the dengue virus along with Covid-19. The positivity rate rose to 2.95 per cent from one per cent while three deaths were reported from the district on Monday.

According to the details, the sudden escalation in the cases has once again rung an alarm. The three major government hospitals in Rawalpindi namely Benazir Bhutto General Hospital (BBGH), Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology and Kidney Transplantation (RIUKT) have seen an increase in Covid-19 infected patients.

The number of patients sustained around 10 to 15 during the last two months in all three healthcare facilities. However, it has risen to 55. Of these, 46 patients have been transferred on oxygen support while four are on ventilators while two patients died at RIUKT and one died at HFH.

Although it has not been officially confirmed, the fourth wave of the virus seems dangerous according to the District Health Authority (DHA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Faiza Kanwal. She said that with mass gatherings in the cattle markets ahead of Eidul Azha, there is a real threat of the rapid spread of Covid-19. She added that immediate action is required to be taken to keep the situation under control.

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DHA CEO said that citizens should get themselves vaccinated at the earliest and should ensure wearing of face masks, maintaining social distancing and avoid crowding at public places.

BBGH Coronavirus Ward In-Charge Dr Inayat confirmed that the number of Covid-19 patients is increasing, stating that it was observed that these patients may also have dengue at the same time because it is uncommon for Covid-19 patients to have low platelets and white blood cells (WBCs).

On the other hand, the contractor of the largest cattle market set up at Bhatta Ground, Ghulam Mustafa Baloch, claimed that anti-Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) are being strictly implemented in the market. The security staff is instructing citizens to wear masks and asking them to maintain distance, he stated, adding that the animals brought to the market are also being examined at the veterinary hospital set up there.

Moreover, so far as many as 781,914 people have been vaccinated against the deadly virus in the district. The mass vaccination drive is under way at 30 vaccination centres across the district wherein different vaccines are being administered.

The hospital officials informed that the Pfizer vaccine is available at HFH, Moderna vaccine at Red Crescent Centre while Cansino, Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines are being administered at all other centres.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2021.