Rawalpindi admin bans indoor dining

The Rawalpindi district administration has banned indoor dining as five more coronavirus patients have lost their lives in the district during the last 24 hours.

The total ratio of coronavirus positive cases stood at 7.22 per cent in the district.

The District Health Authority has issued an advisory for the strict implementation of the coronavirus SOPs and also accelerating the vaccination campaign.

The home isolation of coronavirus positive patients has reached 2,001. At least 984 people were tested for coronavirus in the last 24 hours, and of them, 71 have been tested positive for Covid-19.

Of the 71 coronavirus positive patients, 13 hailed from Cantonment, six from Gujar Khan, two from Kahuta, two from Kalar Sayedan, three from Murree, 12 from Pothohar Town, 15 from Rawal Town and 18 from out of the district.

Health officials said that 112 coronavirus patients were admitted to nine hospitals and of them, six were ventilators and 64 on double source oxygen.

They said that eight patients were being treated at the Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, three at private hospitals, four at the district headquarters hospital, 35 at the Fuji Foundation Hospital, five at the Heart International, four at the Holy Family Hospital and 53 at the Institute of Urology.

According to health officials, 503,8847 people including 44586 health workers have been vaccinated against coronavirus in the district so far.

So far, 86 educational institutions, including two universities, have been sealed across the district after the coronavirus was found among teachers and students. Health authorities have declared booster doses of the coronavirus vaccine mandatory for employees of public and private offices. In this regard, heads of the institutions have been instructed to ensure that their employees get the third booster dose in addition to the two doses of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the new wave of coronavirus on Sunday claimed one more life at Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) Abbottabad. Health officials said that 37 new patients have been admitted to the ATH in Abbottabad and of them, 12 were in critical condition.

As a result of the increasing number of coronavirus among students and faculty members, the administration of the Hazara University Mansehra had been closed for 10 days.

According to a notification issued by the Mansehra deputy commissioner, the university has been closed on the recommendation of the health department for 10 days. Mansehra police have also been deployed outside the university.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2022.