Taking notice of social distancing violations in several markets, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday ordered conducting of coronavirus tests in Karachi markets. The chief minister has issued directives to the Sindh Health Department and authorities in this regard. “Action will be taken in markets where coronavirus will emerge,” he added. It may be noted that the Business activities in Sindh, especially in Karachi, resumed on Monday after a 50-day closure due to coronavirus outbreak. Several shops in the city’s Light House Market were opened around 8:00 in the morning. According to a notification issued by Home department Sindh, the business activities will remain open from 8 to 4 in the city under the SOPs set by the provincial government. Shopkeepers will be responsible to ensure social distancing between the customers during trading. Moreover, 537 new cases of the novel coronavirus were detected in Sindh over the past 24 hours, bringing the provincial tally of Covid-19 positive cases to 12,017. Murad In his regular video message on the coronavirus situation in the province today, he said 11 people died from the infection during this period, taking the death toll to 200. The Sindh government has changed the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for market timings after easing coronavirus lockdown. An amended notification released by the Sindh home department stated that markets could be opened between morning 6:00 am to 4:00 pm evening under the SOPs. The latest order reduced the timing of business activities for one hour. It read that businesses will be continued for four days in a week and citizens have been advised not to come out of their homes unnecessarily from 5:00 pm to morning 6:00 am.
