Highest number of deaths in a day from twin cities

Rawalpindi : Coronavirus illness, COVID-19 outbreak has set a new record by claiming as many as 12 lives from Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi district in the last 24 hours which is the highest number of deaths caused by the illness in the region since the disease hit Pakistan.

To date, not more than nine deaths in a day have ever been reported from ICT and Rawalpindi due to COVID-19 that is hitting population in the twin cities much harder as compared to other districts of the country yet no special and exclusive measures have so far been taken to avoid further spread of the virus. All educational institutions have been operating in the region even after reporting of confirmed cases of the illness from premises of a number of schools, colleges and universities particularly in Rawalpindi.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Sunday reveals that as many as eight patients belonging to the federal capital died of COVID-19 in last 24 hours while four patients from Rawalpindi district died of the disease taking the death toll from the region to 641. As many as 514 new cases have been reported from the twin cities in the last 24 hours after which the total number of patients so far reported from the twin cities has crossed the figure of 35,000. From ICT, another 392 cases have been reported in the last 24 hours taking the tally to 26,569 of which 21,712 have recovered while 278 have lost their lives. The number of active cases of the illness in ICT has jumped to 4,579 on Sunday.

Another four deaths caused by COVID-19 in Rawalpindi district in last 24 hours has taken the death toll in the district to 363 while confirmation of 122 new patients positive has taken tally to 8434 of which 7098 have so far been discharged from healthcare facilities after treatment.

As many as 63 patients are undergoing treatment at the healthcare facilities in the district while 910 confirmed patients of the disease have been in home isolation, said Executive District Officer (Health) Rawalpindi Dr. Sohail Ahmed Chaudhary while talking to ‘The News’.

According to details, a total of 101 patients including 38 patients from outside Rawalpindi district have been undergoing treatment at Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Red Crescent Hospital and Hearts International Hospital of which 14 are in critical condition. As many as 44 patients are stable and 43 in moderate condition, said Dr. Sohail.