？ With most restrictions lifted, increase in cases feared, ministry official says

       ？ Steps being taken to ensure citizens follow SOPs, DHO insists

       ISLAMABAD: After the capital city saw a continuous decline in Covid-19 positivity cases in the last 10 weeks, the ratio has started to rise again, with experts fearing that the virus could bounce back.

       Moreover, 71 cases were reported on Sunday with the daily positivity rate recorded at 3.81pc.

       The weekly positivity rate is considered more authentic as the number of cases can increase or decrease on a certain day.

       According to documents available with Dawn, the weekly (Monday to Sunday) positivity rate remained over 10pc in April but then saw a downward trend. In the week that ended on May 2, the infection ratio was 9.24pc as 2,911 cases were reported during this period. However, it gradually declined to 2.46pc in the last week of May when 804 patients were detected.

       In June, the positivity rate further fell, reaching 0.9pc with only 221 cases reported in the last week of the month. However, between June 28 and July 4, a total of 351 people were found infected and the positivity rate jumped to 2.33pc.

       According to the breakdown, 23 people were found infected on June 29, 33 on June 30, 54 on July 1, 73 on July 2, 66 on July 3 and 71 on July 4.

       An official of the Ministry of National Health Services, requesting not to be named, expressed the fear that cases might increase again as all restrictions had been removed.

       “Business activities have resumed, ban on intercity public transport on weekends lifted and schools have reopened. People are attending wedding ceremonies in closed halls and have started Eid shopping. We fear that the virus might bounce back at around Eid,” he said.

       “It is one of the basic traits of the virus that whenever it reaches near a low point, it tries to re-emerge. It is our responsibility not to give a chance to the virus to start spreading as it increases the chances of mutation,” he said.

       District Health Officer Islamabad Dr Zaeem Zia told Dawn that vaccination had slowed down in the last few weeks but had picked up pace once again.

       “We are hopeful that more people will be inoculated in the coming days. We have been taking steps to ensure citizens adhered to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) so that the virus can be controlled,” he said.

       Rawalpindi

       The district of Rawalpindi witnessed a slight increase in Covid-19 cases on Sunday as 41 people tested positive. However, 22 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours.

       There are 224 active patients in the district - 67 in hospitals and 157 home isolated.

       Officials said 12 of the new patients came from cantonment areas, 11 from Potohar Town, 12 from Rawal Town, three from Kahuta, two from Taxila and one from Gujar Khan.

       They said 14 patients were admitted to Holy Family Hospital, eight were under treatment in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, 10 each in Rawalpindi Institute of Urology and nine in Fauji Foundation Hospital.

       There is one patient on ventilator, 33 on oxygen and seven are stable.

       According to the District Health Authority, 15,198 people were vaccinated on Sunday, taking the total number to 777,918, including 32,006 frontline health workers.

       Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2021