FAZAL SHER

ISLAMABAD: The number of deadly coronavirus cases has decreased in the federal capital following smart lockdown in the various residential sectors of the city.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat said that before the smart lockdown in the sub-sectors G-9/2 and G-9/3, more than 25 cases were reported daily, which had come down to eight.

The decision to de-seal both the sub-sectors would be taken after receiving reports of 600 tests, he said.

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) has sealed sectors, G-6/2, G-6/1, G-10 /4 and G-7/2 in order to prevent community spread of Covid-19 in the area in exercise of power under epidemic diseases act 1958.

The exemptions to this order include essential services and supplies such as pharmacy and medicine shops, groceries stores and bakeries, patients aid consultation, rationing, drinking water supplies, and emergency.

Earlier, the administration had sealed sub-sectors, 1-10/1, and I-10/2, and 1-8/4 and 1-8/3.

The number of Covid-19 cases reported in capital city rose to 11,219 after more than 287 people were tested positive in the various parts of the city.

According to official data, out of 11,219 as many as 5,012 coronavirus patients have recovered and 106 have died.

The number of reported cases of coronavirus in the capital on June 22 were 10,932, on June 21 they were 10,662, on June 20, 10,279, on June 19, 9,941, on June 18, 9,637, on June 17, 9,242, on June 16, 8,857, one June 15, 8,569, on June 14, 7,934, on June 13,7,163, on June 12, 6,699, June 11, 6,236, June 10,5,963, June 9,5,783, June 8, 5,329, June 7, 4,979, June 6, 4,323, June 5, 3,946, June 4, 3,544, June 3, 3,188, June 2, 2,893, and on June 1, 2,589.

Similarly, on May 31, 2,418, May 30, 2,418, May 29, 2,192, May 28, 2,100, May 27, 2015, May 26, 1,879, May 25, 1,728, May 24, 1,641, May 23, 1,592, May 22, 1,457, May 21, 1,326, on May 20, 1,138, on May 19, 1,034, on May 18, 997, on May 17, 947, on May 16, 921, May 16, 921, May 15, 866, on May 14, 822, May 13, 759, on May 12, 716, May 11, 679, May 10, 641, May 9, 609, May 8, 558, May 7, 521, May 6, 485, May 5, 464, May 4, 415, May 3, 393, on May 2, 365 and May 1, 343.

Meanwhile, to provide relief to patients, the government has directed all private hospitals and medical centres to display hospital rates including but not limited to per day charges for beds and rooms in isolation wards high dependency units (HDU) and intensive care units (ICU) and ventilators services.

This information be displayed on the website and at prominent places in the hospital especially at the reception.

All private facilities will be inspected for compliance by Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) teams to check the status of compliance with the above directives.

The hospitals not fulfilling the requirements shall be penalised in accordance with the rules, which may include de-registration, sealing the premises or fine and or imprisonment.