Govt decides to shut big markets across country on violation of lockdown’s SOPs
Staff Reporters
Karachi/ Lahore/ Islamabad
Pakistan’s tally of coronavirus cases has surpassed China crossing 86,000 mark as the authorities eased lockdown restrictions across the country.
The nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients stands at 86,931 with 31,104 cases in Punjab, 34,577 in Sindh, 11,373 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 5,224 in Balochistan, 824 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 3,544 in Islamabad and 285 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
China has reported 82,933 cases and 4,638 deaths since the start of the outbreak last December, according to the data of Johns Hopkins University.
In Pakistan, a total of 4,688 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day rise ever, landing the country at the 17th spot in terms of coronavirus cases, the data shows.
Another 82 patients lost their lives due to Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, across the country, raising the death toll from the pandemic to 1,770. Some 30,128 patients have recovered.
According to the official statistics, authorities have so far conducted 615,511 tests across the country.
The federal government on Thursday decided to shut all big markets across the country which violate standard operating procedures (SOPs) to counter the coronavirus pandemic.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill tweeted, “Under the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) decisions, several big markets across Pakistan will be closed today over violation of lockdown SOPs.
Punjab reported 1615 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of infections across the province to 31,104, according to the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department.
A spokesperson for the department said, 37 more deaths from coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of fatalities to 607.
The number of people recovering from the disease has risen to 7712 while a total of 254,259 tests have been conducted in the province (Punjab) so far, the department said.
Of th e new infections, 724 cases were detected in Lahore, 153 cases from Rawalpindi, 32 in Gujranwala, 67 cases reported from Gujrat, Sialkot sees 28 cases, Multan 181 and 99 cases emerged in Faisalabad.
Meanwhile 4688 new coronavirus cases have surfaced in the country over the last twenty four hours taking the total tally to 85,264.
These include 31,104 in Punjab, 32, 910 in Sindh, 11,373 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 5, 224 in Balochistan, 3544 in Islamabad, 824 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 285 in Azad Kashmir.
The death toll from the virus stands at 1770 with eighty two deaths reported over the last twenty-four hours. 20, 167 corona tests were also carried out during this period. 30,128 patients have so far recovered from the disease.
The Punjab government has decided to ensure strict implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding prevention of coronavirus and directions have been issued to administration and police in this regard.The decision was taken at an emergent meeting presided over by Chief Secretary Punjab Jawwad Rafique Malik his Camp Office, with Additional Chief Secretary Home Momin Agha, IG Police Shoaib Dastgir and officers concerned in attendance.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed that shops and markets, violating the SOPs, be closed forthwith. He asked the administrative and police officers to remain in the field from Thursday (today) to enforce virus prevention measures.
He mentioned that only those businesses, which are following SOPs, would be allowed to continue. The meeting decided to declare wearing masks mandatory, besides taking action against violators.
