The Omicron variant surge of coronavirus cases continues to surge in the twin cities as health authorities feared the situation may worsen in the coming days.
The Islamabad district health officer has recommended closing down all educational institutions in the federal capital after the Omicron-fueled surge of coronavirus cases.
Around two dozen educational institutions have been closed down in Islamabad after coronavirus cases were reported among students and teachers.
On the other hand, three more coronavirus patients died in Rawalpindi during the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll to 1,619 in the district so far.
As per the latest data released by the District Health Authority on Friday, around 350 more people were tested positive for COVID-19 during the last 24 hours, raising the count of confirmed cases to 41,321 in the district, including 38,244 from Rawalpindi and 3077 from outside districts.
Read Omicron pushing Covid out of pandemic phase: EU agency
Presently, 49 patients are admitted to five health facilities, including 15 to the Institute of Urology, 13 to the Holy Family Hospital and 10 each to the Benazir Bhutto Hospital and Fauji Foundation Hospital, the report said adding that three patients were on ventilators, 13 were stable and 33 on double oxygen support. In addition, as many as 4,815,904 people, including 44,574 health workers, had so far been vaccinated against the fatal disease since the start of the vaccination drive from March 10, 2021, it said.
On the other hand, health officials on Friday said that 1,359 new coronavirus cases were reported in the federal capital during the last 24 hours.
According to an official of the National Command and Operation Center, as many as 1,131 cases were reported on Thursday while 702 cases were reported on Wednesday. He said that so far 115,047 cases were reported in the federal capital with 971 deaths and 108,372 recoveries. Meanwhile, the Islamabad district administration continued surveillance of selected streets and sectors to contain the spread of the virus.
An official of the health ministry said that several local-level administrative decisions had been taken to control the spread of the virus.
SMS service for students, teachers
On the other hand, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on Friday launched an SMS service campaign for students, teachers and parents across the country to raise awareness of the Omicron virus.
According to the Federal Education Ministry, the campaign has been launched on the instructions of the Minister for Federal Education, and Professional Training, Culture and National Heritage Shafqat Mahmood.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2022.
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