HYDERABAD: The administration sealed a famous market, a gym, three offices of car rental, a restaurant, two shops, a service station and an estate agency office in the city, Latifabad and Qasimabad talukas on Wednesday for violating the standard operating procedures (SOPs) while one more coronavirus patient died in the city.

Hyderabad Deputy Commissioner Fuad Ghaffar Soomro monitored administrative actions in the district after the government restricted timings for businesses by imposing of a smart lockdown.

In Hyderabad city taluka, the administration sealed a known gym in the Cantonment area, three rent-a-car booking offices and a restaurant. Officials found that people were not wearing masks at the restaurant in Pathan Colony where in-house dining facility was also opened in violation of the government notification. A Rs40,000 fine was imposed on a milk shop in Resham Gali.

In Unit No 8 of Latifabad, they sealed 100 shops in Jamia Cloth Market which were opened despite an official order for closure by 6pm. Consumers and shopkeepers were not wearing masks as per government directives.

Similarly, in Qasimabad area, the administration sealed a shop at Guddu Chowk, a service station and two shops in Nasim Nagar and an estate agency office at Alamdar Chowk for violation of SOPs.

Meanwhile, an 80-year-old patient died of the coronavirus in Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) on Wednesday, according to hospital’s focal person for Covid-19, Dr Aftab Phull.

According to district health office (DHO) Hyderabad, currently there are 1,245 Covid-19 patients in Hyderabad district.

Total 114 positive cases were reported on Wednesday, the office said, adding that 1,218 patients were in home isolation.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2020