ISLAMABAD: Due to effective surveillance and implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs), coronavirus cases have not surged in the federal capital like in some other parts of the country during Eidul Azha holidays.

Zaeem Zia, district health officer (DHO) Islamabad, while talking to Business Recorder said that the Covid-19 cases did not increase in the city during the Eid holidays due to continues surveillance, contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine.

Our team has also conducted tests in animal markets but fortunately very few of them tested positive, the DHO said.

He said, "We had also requested residents of Islamabad to celebrate Eid in the city instead of going to their native towns, and a majority of people follow these instructions." The number of coronavirus cases has declined significantly in the city but this did not mean that the coronavirus has gone or finished, therefore, we still need to be more vigilant, he said.

Zia said that only 27 people tested positive on Wednesday out of over 1,400 tests conducted. The number of coronavirus cases has remained below 30 for the last seven days, and such a trend may continue but it is too early to say that the virus has gone, he said.

According to official data, the total number of coronavirus cases has reached 15,122 after 27 more positive cases on Wednesday.

Out of the total cases, 12,732 have completely recovered, and 167 persons have died since the outbreak of the virus. The recovery rate rose to 84.19 percent and the total number of active cases in the city is 2,390.

The data says that the new cases reported on August 4 were 19, on August 3, 24, on August 2, 19, on August 1, 19, on July 31, 27, on July 30, 24, on July 29, 25, on July 28, 54, on July 27, 43, on July 26, 20, July 25, 55, July 24, 44, July 23, 21, July 22, 76, on July 21, 26, on July 20, 23, July 19, 72, on July 18, 50, on July 17, 52, on July 16, 87, July 15, 113, on July 14, 94, on July 13, 85, on July 12, 96, on July 11, 98, on July 10, 98, on July 9, 81, on July 8, 93, July 7, 63, July 6, 85, on July 5, 117, on July 4, 97, on July 3, 113, on July 2, 170, and on July 1, 137.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020