ISLAMABAD: As Islamabad’s weekly positivity and daily Covid-19 cases have dropped dramatically over the past three weeks, health authorities expect to meet the target of fully vaccinating 90% of the population by next month.
By contrast, 145 people were found to be infected with the virus on Sunday and the positivity rate was recorded at 2.92%.
According to the data available with Dawn, in the last week of January, weekly positivity was 16.45% and 9,037 infections were reported in seven days. During the first week of February, positivity fell to 10.26% with 4,864 cases, and last week positivity fell to 5% with 1,700 cases reported.
Health authorities hope to reach goal of fully vaccinating 90% of the population by next month
The number of cases was 311 on February 11, which fell to 181 on February 12 and samples taken on Saturday showed 145 people infected. Daily positivity was 5.58pc on February 11, which also gradually dropped to 2.92pc.
District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Zaeem Zia said Dawn that the situation was under control as the cases were gradually decreasing.
“Islamabad has the lowest mortality, the highest diagnosis and the highest percentage of fully immunized people. In fact, we have increased vaccination by one percent each week and hope to fully vaccinate 90% of the city’s vaccine-eligible population by next month. Currently, 95% of the eligible population has received at least one dose,” he said.
When asked why there was so much rush at vaccination centres, Dr Zia said a lot of people were getting booster doses, which is why staff kept busy at the centres.
“I urge people across the country to get vaccinated as soon as possible because vaccination reduces the risk of hospitalization. In Islamabad, the highest percentage of people, compared to other cities, have been vaccinated and this is why the death rate in the capital is the lowest in the country,” he said.
rawalpindi
One person died in Rawalpindi district while 69 other people tested positive and 142 patients recovered from the disease on Sunday.
Bahria City Phase 8 resident Raj Begum, 83, was admitted to Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) on February 12 where she died.
According to the health authority, the positivity rate in the district was recorded at 4.23% on Sunday. A total of 1,630 samples were taken, of which 69 were found to be infected with the virus.
In the district, there are 940 active patients – 101 in hospitals and 839 in isolation at home.
As many as 17 patients were reported from different parts of Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonments, 12 from urban areas and 15 patients from Potohar town.
Additionally, eight patients arrived from Gujar Khan, four from Taxila and Kahuta, seven from Kallar Syedan and one from Kotli Sattian and one from Gujrat.
There are 101 patients admitted to different hospitals in Rawalpindi town – four each to Benazir Bhutto Hospital and Holy Family Hospital, one to District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), 36 to Fauji Foundation, 49 patients at RIU, two at Hearts International Hospital, three at Bilal Hospital and two at Attock Rawalpindi Hospital.
Seven of the patients are on a ventilator, 55 are on oxygen and 29 are stable.
Posted in Dawn, February 14, 2022