Violation of SOPs: Fruit, vegetable market may become source of virus spread

The Islamabad wholesale fruit and vegetable market, which is one of the main markets in the region, may turn into a big source for the spread of coronavirus as its management has failed to enforce the standard operating procedures (SOPs) devised for controlling the spread of the COVID-19.

The management of the fruit and vegetable market (Sabzi Mandi) has not only failed to ensure social distancing but also taken no steps to compel visitors coming from twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad as well as from other parts of the country, traders and vendors to enter or leave the market after passing through the disinfection gates or sanitizing gates recently installed by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration at both main gates of the market.

The Islamabad Sabzi Mandi is the main market in this region, as it is a distribution point for fruits and vegetables coming from all over the country, as well as China, Iran and Afghanistan.

It caters to the requirements of the traders from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Murree, Azad Kashmir and parts of Punjab and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

During a visit conducted by Business Recorder to the market, it was witnessed that most of the visitors did not use the disinfection gates for entering or leaving the market, and visitors as well as shopkeepers did not follow the SOPs prepared for controlling spread of the coronavirus.

The ICT Administration has installed disinfection walk-through gate at Sabzi Mandi and 19 other points of the city.

The points where walk-through gates were installed include three at Pak Secretariat, eight gates at various Katchi Abadies (slums), four at Panaghas (shelter homes), and other public places.

After walking though these gates, disinfectants will help kill the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, coronavirus cases in Pakistan rose to 4,072 on Wednesday. According to official data, the Punjab has 2,030 cases followed by Sindh 932, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 500, Balochistan 2002, Gilgit-Baltistan 211, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 19, and the federal capital 83.

Till the filling of this report, 467 coronavirus patients have so far recovered, and 58 have died across the country.