With the recent surge in Covid-19 cases in Islamabad and therefore the Rawalpindi district, the capital administration decided to shut Faisal Mosque and Daman-i-Koh for visitors during a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
One patient died in the Rawalpindi district whereas 581 people were diagnosed with the disease in both areas.
Positivity within the capital was recorded at 9.2pc while that in Rawalpindi jumped to 14.5pc, a drastic increase from 5.5pc recorded the day before.
The deceased was identified as Mohammad Mehfooz, 75, a resident of the town area of Pindi. He was delivered to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital on Aug 14.
According to data from the capital administration, 4,796 tests were conducted out of which 444 samples were found positive.
A document, signed by Additional District Magistrate Rana Waqas, available with Dawn, stated that Daman-i-Koh and Faisal Mosque were closed on Aug 15 as large crowds had been seen in both places which could lead to further spread of the virus.
An official of the Ministry of National Health Services, requesting to not be quoted, said people had an extended weekend thanks to Independence Day and spent two days on roads and markets.
“Earlier, there was a rush in markets as people, especially children, were busy buying flags and other goods associated with Independence Day like fireworks. Now, we are getting to have another long weekend on Ashura thanks to which on one hand people will participate in processions and majalis and on the opposite some others will organize picnics as they need still kept meat of sacrificial animals in their freezers,” he said.
He said both processions and barbeque parties would become the rationale for the spread of the virus and therefore the situation could spiral out of control.
“I fear that by next month we’ll be left with no choice but to enforce restrictions and perhaps we’ll choose the closure of faculties and markets. The citizens should strictly adhere to the quality operating procedures (SOPs) and avoid unnecessary gatherings,” he said.
Meanwhile, 215 patients were discharged from hospitals in Rawalpindi after recovering within the last 24 hours. it’s been observed that there’s still no proper implementation of the SOPs within the garrison city.
There are 2,229 active patients currently within the district. As many as 224 patients are in hospitals and a couple of,005 homes isolated.
Officials said 32 patients arrived from cantonment areas, 20 from city areas, 23 from Potohar Town, 24 from Kahuta, 16 from Taxila, seven from Gujar Khan, three from Kallar Syedan, two from Murree, and one from Kotli Sattian. Four patients also arrived from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, two from Attock, one each from Islamabad, Chakwal, and Mianwali.
As many as 51 patients are admitted in Holy Family Hospital, 35 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 78 in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU), five in District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, 44 in Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), four patients each in Hearts International Hospital and Bilal Hospital, two patients in Begum Akhter Sultana Trust Hospital and one patient in Attock Hospital.
There are five patients on ventilators in Rawalpindi, 119 are on oxygen support and 100 are stable.
