Coronavirus second wave: Major markets, restaurants, superstores sealed in Karachi over SOPs violation

KARACHI: Administrator and Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani on Wednesday ordered the sealing of a number of markets, superstores and at least six mobile markets in the city for violating the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the government in wake of the second Covid-19 wave, ARY News reported.

In the Korangi district of the city, three major stores, two mobile markets and several restaurants were sealed for allowing large crowds inside the shops.

In the district South, 10 shops in Saddar and several other food outlets were sealed for violating the government-defined standard operating procedures (SOPs) put in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Furthermore, the local administration of district Central conducted raids in different areas of the district and sealed Memon mobile market in Liaquatabad, Serena mobile market in Nazimanad and two other mobile markets in the Gulberg area of the city.

Commissioner Karachi warned that the businesses of shopkeepers who do not implement the government-mandated SOPs will be sealed.

In a major spike in COVID-19 cases, the Sindh province on Wednesday witnessed over 1100 cases of the infection, according to Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah.

“The province recorded 1,127 cases of COVID-19 during the last 24 hours,” said the chief minister while disclosing an alarming increase in the virus cases during the routine briefing on daily coronavirus numbers.

Read More: Pakistan records 33 coronavirus-related deaths in 24 hours

Murad Ali Shah said that they have performed 11,960 tests during the past 24 hours. The fatalities from the virus remained at four in a single day.

Sharing the rising numbers of the virus cases in Karachi, the chief minister said that out of 1127 cases reported today, 799 of them were from Karachi.