KARACHI - Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Friday said that keeping in view the spike of fourth wave of coronavirus in the province, particularly deteriorating situation in Karachi it was decided to impose a lockdown for next nine days (July 31 to August 8) under which only export-oriented, food and health-related industries, pharmacies, bakeries and other essential services would operate. All the markets, government offices, intra-city transport service would remain closed all over the province with special focus in the city.
“It is not a complete lockdown as was imposed last year but this is a little loose-lockdown being imposed to save our people and to get a breathing-space to further strengthen our health facilities which have come under immense pressure,” the chief minister stated this while addressing to a press conference here at CM House. He was accompanied by Sindh Minister Information Nasir Shah, Advisor law Murtaza Wahab and Parliamentary Secretary on Health Qasim Siraj Soomro.
Murad Ali Shah said that earlier he had presided over a meeting of a task force on coronavirus in which parliamentary leaders in the Sindh assembly, leaders of traders’ associations such as FPCCI and KCCI and others were invited for consultation and sensitisation.
The CM said that in the task force meeting, the participants were told that the infection rate in Karachi had touched 23.51 percent on July 29 while Karachi East was the worst affected district with 33 percent infection rate followed by Korangi 21 percent, Central 20 percent, West 21 percent, South and Malir 17 percent each. “This cannot be termed as a normal situation, but it warrants taking some extraordinary measures,” he said. Talking about death rate, the CM said that in July, alone 469 patients had died while in June 428 deaths were reported.
“44 patients had died on Thursday and 43 on Wednesday,” he said and termed it a very critical situation.