Impact of `smart lockdown` to be seen in coming weeks: commissioner.

RAWALPINDI -- The number of reported Covid-19 cases in Rawalpindi crossed 5,000 on Saturday af ter four more people died and 101 were diagnosed.

A 50-year-old city resident died at the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) along with a 59-year-old resident of Ali Town and a 65-year-old resident of Bahria Town, while a 55-year-old resident of Fazal Town died at Holy Family Hospital (HFH).

A district administration official said that many patients who were isolated in their homes were brought to hospital after they developed breathing difficulties, and did not survive.

He added that because of the shortage of beds in hospitals, people are choosing to stay at home and claiming they are asymptomatic, because of which the number of patients under home isolation in the district has increased.

With the confirmation of 101 more cases, the total in the district has reached 5,086, with 212 deaths and 2,433 recoveries. Currently, 2,441 patients are receiving treatment of whom 988 are in hospital and 1,453 are isolated intheir homes.

Another 1,911 suspected Covid-19 patients are admitted to Rawalpindi city`s four hospitals and their results are awaited from the National Institute of Health and the Benazir Bhutto Hospital and HFH laboratories. Local administrations have also quarantined 1,453 people who were close contacts of confirmed patients.

Also on Saturday, 22 shops were sealed in the district and Rs62,000 in fines were imposed on shopkeepers for violating standard operating procedures (SOP) issued to limit the spread of the coronavirus. A total of 35 vehicles were impounded and the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) imposed Rs46,000 in fines for SOP violations.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that the number of Covid-19 cases is increasing in the district, with 756 people diagnosed between June 11 and June 18. The number is expected to rise next week, he added.

Mr Mehmood said that the impact of the `smart lockdown` policy would be seen in coming weeks.

There have been 2,875 patients reported in the limits of the Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation...