Islamabad: Islamabad health officials reported the lowest number of new coronavirus cases in nearly 4 weeks.
Pakistan’s capital city recorded a total of 97 cases last day, District Health Officer Dr. Zaeem Zia said in a tweet on Saturday morning. This is the lowest number in a month as the average cases ranged from 350-450 in early June.
The daily infection rate significantly reduced after the strict enforcement of guidelines and smart lockdown implemented by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration based on trace, test and quarantine (TTQ) strategy.
Islamabad reported the highest number of 771 cases in a single day on June 14 but “after a comprehensive TTQ implementation we have brought down the cases to 97 per day” Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat told Gulf News.
Officials warn of spread if guidelines not followed
While the news is welcoming, but officials say it’s just the beginning of the end of the virus. The ”numbers have come down, but we cant take it as the end, it may be beginning of another battle. We will be tracing as our teams have been from the beginning” Dr. Zaeem Zia said. Requesting the public to follow the mandatory guidelines, he said, COVID19 is “still the biggest challenge.”
The city of nearly 2 million managed to drastically reduce infection with strict measures especially improved testing and partial lockdown. Islamabad city's fatality rate is less than 1 percent and the coronavirus death toll is 130, according to official data.
1. Rapid response teams to ensure home quarantine guidelines and contain the spread.
2. Strict lockdown in selected areas of the city for a limited time where people are not allowed out of their homes except to buy essentials.
3. Focus on testing. The capital city has conducted a total of 128834 tests so far.
4. Working with volunteers to ensure food, medical and critical supplies in areas under lockdown and wherever needed.
5. Ensuring implementation of guidelines such as wearing masks and physical distancing and fining those who violate the orders
6. Shutting down all educational institutions, religious seminaries, restaurants/cafes (except home delivery), and other public places.
7. Violators fined to ensure that health-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) for individuals and businesses are being followed. So far, 110 restaurants/hotels and 515 shops have been sealed. Sellers have been fined over a million rupees whereas individuals have been charged with more than Rs238,000.
Pakistan records highest single-day jump in recoveries
Pakistan reported its highest single-day rise in the country with 11,471 recoveries over the past 24 hours. “Today, the number of recovered Pakistanis exceeds the total active cases in Pakistan,” reads a statement from the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) that marked 100 days of 'action and resilience' against the pandemic in Pakistan on Saturday.
More than 125,000 have now recovered from coronavirus in Pakistan. Currently, there are 95,570 active cases in the country. The recovery rate across Pakistan now stands at 55 percent
At least 4619 have died from coronavirus in the country while 2,460 patients are critical.
