The Punjab government on Saturday extended the coronavirus lockdown until May 31 keeping in view the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the province.

A notification in this regard has been issued. However, construction sector and steel and electric appliances businesses have been exempted from the lockdown. Paint industry, sanitary stores, steel and aluminum works as well as hardware stores have been allowed to do business during the lockdown.

According to the notification, all factories and export industry have been allowed to operate according to the standard operating procedures issued by the Punjab government for safety from coronavirus.

Shopping malls will remain closed, but barber shops and gymnasiums will open. All these shops will open only four days a week from 8am to 5pm. General stores and grocery stores will also open from 8am to 5pm. Fruit and vegetable markets will open seven days a week per their standard times.

As the number of coronavirus cases neared 28,000 on Saturday evening, May 9, Punjab is competing with Sindh in this grim race with more than 10,000 cases so far.