FAZAL SHER
ISLAMABAD: The tally of confirmed coronavirus positive cases in the capital city surged up to 214 after 10 more people were tested positive on Friday.
According to official data, since April 19 (Sunday) 33 people have tested positive for coronavirus till date as the total number of Covid-19 patients on Sunday last was 181.
The cases of deadly Covid-19 are increasing rapidly in the city but the relevant departments have failed to take action against the violators of standard operating procedures (SOPs) framed for controlling the spread of the coronavirus.
The violations of SOPs may further increase today (Saturday) on the first day of Ramazan as a large number of stalls of pakora and samosas in many localities will be set up.
In Ramazan, selling pakoras, samosas and jalaibees are more profitable, though business hours are limited, said a vendor selling pakoras.
Similarly, the owners of shops exempted by the government from lockdown did not follow the SOPs and are running their businesses without taking any precautionary measures. Out of 214 corona patients, three had died, and 26 had so far recovered in the capital city, an official said.
Majority of the Covid-19 cases in the city have been reported from Bhara Kahu, Shehzad Town, Tarlai, Lohi Bher, sectors G-8, G-10, I-10, F-10 and Shah Allah Ditta, which was sealed after 14 people were tested positive for the Covid-19.
The ICT administration set up rapid response teams for shifting of confirmed patients to hospitals and also arranged 105 ambulances from various hospitals to meet any emergency situation.
Shopkeepers in the city are not only violating the SOPs devised for curbing Covid-19 but also have increased price of edibles especially vegetables and fruits due to poor check by the district administration.
The country’s tally of the Covid-19 infections has reached 11,155. According to the official data, Punjab has 4,767 cases followed by Sindh 3,671, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 1,541, Balochistan 607, Gilgit-Baltistan 300, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 55.
Till the filling of this report, 2,527 coronavirus patients have so far recovered, and 237 have died across the country.
Meanwhile, various teams of the ICT administration have continued disinfection spray in different areas of the city.
The ICT police have made comprehensive security plan for Ramazan. Over around 2,000 personnel including policemen, security guards, volunteers and mosque guards will perform security duties during the holy month of Ramazan. Over 2,000 security men will perform special duties at 997 Mosques and 33 Imambargahs.
