3 deaths, 517 test positive for COVID-19 in twin cities

By Muhammad Qasim

Islamabad : The intensity of coronavirus illness, COVID-19 outbreak has once again reached at its peak in Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi district as in last 24 hours, the highest number of confirmed patients have been reported from the region after June 18 while the virus has also claimed another three lives after which the death toll from the region has crossed the figure of 600.

A total of 517 new confirmed cases of the illness have been reported from the region in last 24 hours taking tally to 31198 while 602 patients have already lost their lives due to the illness in the twin cities.

District Health Officer ICT Dr. Muhammad Zaeem Zia has issued directives to close down seven more educational institutions in ICT from where positive cases of COVID-9 were reported.

He advised immediate closure of educational institutions including Beaconhouse School, Margalla Campus in Sector H-8/4, City School in Sector F-8/3, Islamabad Model College for Girls (IMCG) in Sector I-9/1, Islamabad Model School PIMS sector in G-8/3, Islamabad Model College for Boys in Sector F-11/3, Islamabad Model School for Girls (IMSG) in Sangjani area and IMSG (I-V) in Pind Begwal for a period till further intimation by his office. It is important that the highest number of patients is being reported daily from ICT as compared to other districts of the country for the last three weeks or so as on Saturday, out of a total of 2165 cases reported from all across Pakistan, 411 are from the federal capital.

Data collected by ‘The News’ reveals that in last 24 hours, the virus claimed three more lives in the federal capital taking death toll from ICT to 253 while confirmation of 411 new cases from the federal capital took tally to 23533. To date, a total of 20036 patients have recovered from the illness in ICT while number of active cases of the disease was 3244 on Saturday.

The virus did not claim any life in Rawalpindi district in last 24 hours though 349 patients have already died of COVID-19 in the district from where another 106 patients have been tested positive for COVID-19 taking tally to 7665 of which 6714 have recovered while number of active cases in the district has crossed the figure of 600 that has dropped down to below 80 in September.

At present, 49 patients are hospitalised in the district while number of confirmed patients in home isolation is 553, said Executive District Officer (Health) Rawalpindi Dr. Sohail Ahmed Chaudhary while talking to ‘The News’.

He added it is alarming that the number of suspects under home quarantine in the district has reached 1751 on Saturday.