ISLAMABAD: Contrary to the big claims of the district administration for taking strict action to ensure the implementation of SOPs devised for controlling the pandemic spread, gross violations of the SOPs were witnessed on Friday at the various markets and mosques.

During a survey of various markets as well as pharmacies, hospitals, grocery stores, vegetable shops, bakeries, milk and meat shops, and other businesses, it was observed that majority of stores were openly violating the SOPs devised by the district administration.

The SOPs include ensuring wearing of face masks and provision of sanitizers to staff and clients as well as ensuring social distancing. A senior doctor of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) said Covid-19 had not yet completely gone, therefore, relevant authorities needed to take concrete steps for the implementation of the SOPs to avert further spread of the virus. Violation of the SOPs especially in public places will lead to increase in the cases of Covid-19, he warned.

An official of the District Health Department (DHO) said that different teams of his department had started testing of teachers and staff to make sure only staff who did not have Covid-19 would attend schools, when educational institutes open.

According to the official data, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases have witnessed a slight increase as 28 cases were reported on Sep 11, while there were 24 cases on September 10th, and 18 on September 9th in the capital city.

It shows that 28 cases were reported out of 3,372 tests conducted on high-risk people in various parts of the city. As many as 15,270 Covid-19 patients have completely recovered out of total 15,832 patients in the city.

The total number of active cases in the city is 562, and the number of deaths is 178, the data says. The data shows that the recovery rate has slowed down as 26 people recovered on Sep 11, 31 on Sep 10, 29 on Sep 9, and 30 on Sep 8th.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020