10% Coronavirus cases are locally transmitted in Sindh: CM

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Friday noted with alarm that 10 per cent of the total number of Covid-19 cases in the province were locally transmitted, terming it a “dangerous trend”.

While chairing a meeting at the CM House in Karachi, Shah insisted that locally transmitted cases needed to be contained by taking further precautionary measures. He pointed out that excluding the ones reported amongst pilgrims in Larkana and Sukkur, there were 168 cases in the province, of which 102 were locally transmitted.

“This shows that local transmission is still progressing, therefore, we all have to observe complete lockdown, or we will not be in a position to control it,” he said.

The chief minister said that people needed to “understand the gravity of the ongoing situation”.

“Therefore, I have decided to curtail the operation hours of grocery shops and stores by three hours from Saturday,” he announced, saying that all grocery stores will be closed by 5pm every evening. Previously, the government had allowed grocery shops to remain open until 8pm.

Chief Minister Shah told Inspector General of Police SIndh Mushtaq Mahar to ensure that the orders were complied with.

Referring to restrictions on prayer congregations in the province, the chief minister said that it was a difficult decision to make but it was “aimed at saving people from local transmission”.

The Sindh government had announced yesterday that congregations comprising more than five people will not be allowed.

About 440 cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported in Sindh — the highest in the country. Most of the cases have been detected in people with recent travel history, however, the number of locally transmitted cases is increasing. So far, 14 people have been cured.

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