KARACHI: The Sindh government on Saturday decided to extend the coronavirus restrictions for another two weeks as it struggles to contain a third peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the last 24 hours, confirmed coronavirus infections climbed to 306,707 after authorities reported 2,136 new cases. Testing 24,299 samples, the health department received back a positivity ratio of 8.79 percent.
The province also registered 22 deaths, raising the toll to 4,891. While the recoveries rose by 979 to 280,167. Overall, Sindh now has 21,649 active cases of the coronavirus.
A meeting of the provincial coronavirus body was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and attended by ministers, health experts, and police officials.
Briefing the meeting, the health secretary said that 13.97 percent of cases in Sindh were reported from Karachi between May 15 and 21, 10.83 percent from Hyderabad, and 5.40 percent from other districts.
The meeting was further informed some 213 people have died from the disease in the last 30 days, out of which 164 were on ventilators.
The meeting decided that tourist attractions, beaches and amusement parks will remain closed for another two weeks. Walking tracks, however, will remain open.
Starting Monday, shops will remain open until 6:00 pm under the revised guidelines and department stores will also remain open until 6 pm.
However, the wedding halls will remain closed. Indoor and outdoor dining in hotels will remain suspended but takeaways are allowed.
Intercity transport will run with 50 percent passenger capacity and any violation of restrictions will be punished.
According to a spokesperson, the decision to open schools in the province will be taken after the situation improves.
