Pindi reports 7 more Covid deaths

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Sunday said that 400 new cases of coronavirus were reported from the federal capital during the last 24 hours.

According to an official, as many as 383 cases were reported on Saturday while 414 cases were reported on Friday. He said so far 98,739 cases and 861 deaths have been reported from the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). He added that 91,995 patients have recovered from the virus completely.

The Islamabad administration has decided to seal several streets in the federal capital under a smart lockdown policy, owing to rising Covid-19 cases on the recommendation of the district health authorities.

The streets advised to be sealed include 54 and 56 in Sector G-7/2, 1 in Sector G-9/2, 34 and 52 in Sector G-9/1, 12 in Sector I-10/4, and 2, 8, 10 and 70 in Sector G-9/3.

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration earlier this month had reimposed restrictions to control the fourth wave of coronavirus. A complete ban was imposed on all types of indoor gatherings, including those related to culture, music and religion.

However, outdoor gatherings with a maximum limit of 400 individuals were allowed with Covid-19 protocols. Indoor dining has also been banned while only outdoor dining has been allowed until 10 pm.

SOPs extended in Pindi, four other cities

The District Health Authority (DHA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Faiza Kanwal has said that about 1.938 million people had received their dose in the district out of the district’s total population of 3.2 million. She added that vaccination was the only way to control the spread of the deadly virus.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Care Commission extended the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for bazaars and public places in four cities of the province, including Rawalpindi.

According to the notification, which would remain in force until September 15, all business centres are to close by 8 pm while no business would remain open on Saturdays and Sundays.

It stated that medical services, pharmacies, vaccination centres collection points and laboratories would remain open round the clock, seven days a week. Similarly, grocery and general stores, flour chakkis, dairy shops, fruit and vegetable shops, tandoors and petrol pumps would also remain open, it added.

The new schedule will not apply to tyre puncture shops, filling plants, workshops, spare-part shops and shops selling agricultural equipment and machinery, the notification read.

Moreover, office working hours for public and private offices will continue with 50 per cent staff. Indoor weddings would be banned while outdoor weddings would be allowed under strict protocols with a maximum of 300 guests till 10 pm.

Similarly, indoor dining will be strictly prohibited at cafes and restaurants while outdoor dining would be allowed till 10 pm under strict SOPs and only takeaways will be allowed.

It further said that shrines and cinema halls would remain completely shut while there would be a complete ban on contact sports including karate, water polo, kabaddi, etc. Rail service will continue to operate with 70 per cent occupancy while the occupancy level of public transport was reduced to 50 per cent.

The policy of controlled tourism would be continued for vaccinated people while it would be mandatory for citizens to wear face masks at public places.

Meanwhile, according to the latest data released by the DHA on Sunday, 208 more cases were reported during the last 24 hours, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 34,582 in the district while three people lost their lives.

The total infected cases are 31,894 from Rawalpindi and 2,688 from other districts. The report said that among the new cases, 52 were reported from Rawal Town, 27 from Potohar, 43 from Rawalpindi Cantt, 18 from Kallar Syedan, 19 from Murree, 21 from Taxila, seven from Gujar Khan, five from Kahuta and Attock each, four from Chakwal while one case each was reported from Kotli Sattian and Jehlum.

At present, 197 confirmed patients are admitted to various facilities with 22 patients at Holy Family Hospital, 29 at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, 89 at Institute of Urology, 44 at Fauji Foundation Hospital, five at Bilal Hospital, four at District Headquarter Hospital and two each at Begum Akhtar Memorial Trust and Hearts International Hospital, the health authority report added.

Ten patients were on ventilators in critical condition, 79 were stable and 108 were on oxygen, the report informed, adding that the positivity ratio during the past 24 hours was recorded at 8.9 per cent in the district. It further stated that so far 31,402 patients were discharged after making a recovery while 3,987 were quarantined with 2,097 at home and 1,890 in isolation centres.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2021.