10 deaths reported from twin cities in 3 days

Rawalpindi : A sharp increase was recorded in number of confirmed cases of coronavirus illness, COVID-19 in last three days in this region of the country as from ‘Chand Raat’ to the third day of Eid, as many as 550 new patients of the disease were reported from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi while the virus claimed at least another 10 lives in last three days.

The virus claimed five lives in the district one each from Rawal Town, Potohar Town, Cantonment Board area, Kallar Syedan and Gujar Khan in last three days while five confirmed patients of the disease died in the federal capital.

The number of confirmed patients of COVID-19 is continuously on a tremendous rise in this region of the country at least for the last one week and according to health experts, it is because of relaxation in lockdown announced on May 9 that was actually implemented on May 11 in almost all markets of the region.

It is important that the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the federal capital on February 26 and till May 19, there were 1,034 confirmed cases of the disease from the federal capital that has jumped to 1,728 on Tuesday. Similarly, the number of confirmed cases from Rawalpindi district was 1,592 that has become 2177 on Tuesday though according to the district’s dashboard, the number is 2,127.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Tuesday reveals that over 1250 new patients have been tested positive for COVID-19 from the twin cities in last seven days of which 550 were reported in last three days.

Many experts believe that the ease in lockdown announced last week for Eidul Fitr may cause another surge in number of confirmed cases of the disease but after May 30 or so.

In last three days, as many as 258 new patients have been tested positive for COVID-19 from the district taking tally to 2,127 of which 850 have discharged after treatment while 82 have died. A total of 292 confirmed patients of the disease were undergoing treatment at the healthcare facilities on Tuesday while number of those who have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 but have not been registered with any healthcare facility as yet reached 952.

As many as 952 confirmed patients of coronavirus illness have been in isolation at their homes in the district while 2,400 persons are under quarantine at homes, said Executive District Officer (Health) Rawalpindi Dr. Sohail Ahmed Chaudhary while talking to ‘The News’ on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the virus has claimed five more lives in ICT in last three days while another 271 patients have been tested positive for COVID-19 taking tally to 1,728. In last three days, not a single patient recovered from the disease in the federal capital where the virus has so far claimed 17 lives.

To date, 152 patients have recovered from the disease in the federal capital while on Tuesday, a total of 1,559 active cases of COVID-19 were there in ICT according to the National Command and Control Centre.