Four deaths, 206 Covid-19 cases show coronavirus hits Potohar region the worst

RAWALPINDI: Both the morbidity and mortality of coronavirus illness, COVID-19 is extremely high here in Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi district as compared to other parts of the country at least for the last four weeks as every fifth death caused by the virus in October in the country is from the twin cities.

Similarly every sixth patient reported from the country in October is a resident of either the federal capital or Rawalpindi but still all educational institutions are operating in the region. From October 1 to date, as many as 276 patients from all across Pakistan died of the disease of which 63 were residents of the region including 33 from ICT and 30 from Rawalpindi.

Of 17677 new patients confirmed positive for COVID-19 from the country since October 1, as many as 3395 are residents of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Despite the significant severity of the outbreak being witnessed by population in the region, almost all educational institutions are operating while following little precautionary measures.

As per directives of National Command and Control Centre, the federal and the provincial governments, however, have directed to implement non-pharmaceutical interventions in Rawalpindi and Islamabad according to which all commercial activities including markets, shopping malls, marriage halls, restaurants etc would not allowed to operate after 10:00 p.m. in the night and public parks would be closed by 6:00 p.m. daily.

It is important to mention that out of 16 deaths caused by the virus in last 24 hours from all across the country, four were reported from the twin cities while of 908 new cases reported from Pakistan, 206 patients are residents of the region.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Thursday reveals that COVID-19 claimed one more life in the federal capital in last 24 hours that has taken death toll from ICT to 215 while 154 new patients have been tested positive for COVID-19 from the federal capital taking total number of confirmed patients from the federal capital to 19454. As many as 17648 patients have so far recovered while number of active cases of the disease in ICT was 1591 on Thursday.

In Rawalpindi, as many as three patients including one 44-year old female patient died of the disease in last 24 hours. Two male patients having 71 and 73 years of age died at Quaid-i-Azam International Hospital and Holy Family Hospital while the female patient died at QIH taking death toll from the district to 318.

Another 52 patients have been tested positive from Rawalpindi in last 24 hours taking tally to 6873 of which 6321 have recovered. On Thursday, a total of 23 confirmed patients of COVID-19 were undergoing treatment at different healthcare facilities in the district while as many as 212 confirmed patients of the disease were in isolation at their homes, said Executive District Officer (Health) Rawalpindi Dr. Sohail Ahmed Chaudhary while talking to ‘The News’.