Authorities seek lockdown as Covid cases surge in Pindi

Two more coronavirus patients die in garrison city during last 24 hours

RAWALPINDI:

At least 435 people were tested positive for the coronavirus in the Rawalpindi district during the last 24 hours.

Health authorities said that 2,421 persons were tested for coronavirus in the district and of them, 435 were tested positive for the virus.

At least two more coronavirus patients died in Rawalpindi during the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, the coronavirus positive ratio has reached 18 per cent in the district during the last 24 hours.

About 36 coronavirus positive patients are currently under treatment in two hospitals in the city. According to sources, health authorities have sent recommendations to the district administration, seeking to impose smart lockdown in areas from where more Covid-19 positive patients were visiting hospitals.

The source said that a large number of Rawalpindi Cantonment and city areas have witnessed a spike in coronavirus cases and the district administration is likely to issue a notification for a smart lockdown.

According to sources, a large number of doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff in government hospitals in the garrison city have also contracted the virus after coping with an influx of Covid-19 patients as a result of the fifth wave of the Omicron variant despite having been completely vaccinated.

Doctors and paramedic staff at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital, the Holy Family Hospital and the District Headquarters Hospital in Rawalpindi have also been found to be infected with coronavirus on a large scale. The management of these hospitals has issued instructions to test the affected persons and strictly follow the SOPs. In its new guidelines, the provincial health ministry has asked people to stay home, reduce social contacts, maintain social distancing and use masks.

Further, people have been instructed to consult a doctor in case of fever, cough, shortness of breath and chest infection.

On the other hand, field staff comprising representatives of district administration and NCOC continue to inspect educational institutions of the district after the coronavirus was found among students of a college and seven schools.

Meanwhile, 3,5634 people have been discharged from hospitals after the recovery during the current wave of the coronavirus.

The number of coronavirus positive patients in home isolation has reached 2,063. So far, 1,232 people have lost their lives in the district due to coronavirus.

Meanwhile, a total of 435 people were tested positive in the Rawalpindi district during the last 24 hours including 115 from Cantonment, 29 from Gujar Khan, 17 from Kahuta, 10 from Kalrasidan, two from Kotli Satian, seven from Murree, 90 from Pothohar Town, 108 from Rawalpindi Town and 57 from Taxila. Of the 59 coronavirus positive patients under treatment in hospitals, three are in critical condition, 21 in stable condition while 35 are on double oxygen, health authorities said. Currently, 15 coronavirus patients are under treatment in the Benazir Bhutto Hospital, one in a private hospital, 14 in Fauji Foundation, 10 in the Holy Family Hospital and 19 at the RIUT.

The District Health Authority is administering booster corornavirus shots to citizens aged 18 years and above at their doorsteps, while the non-vaccinated citizens are receiving their first and second jabs at their doorstep as well as from the allocated centres.

Dr Waqar further added that World Health Organisation (WHO) had provided RT-PCR kits to the District Health Authority to detect the new Omicron variant and other variants of COVID-19 reported so far.

He said that free-of-cost Omicron testing was available at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital, as timely and reliable testing was crucial to control and manage the emerging variant.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2022.