Thane , Apr 9 (PTI) With an aim to prevent crowding for curbing the spread of coronavirus, the Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) on Thursday ordered that shops selling essential commodities would remain open between 5 am and 2 pm only.

KDMC Commissioner Vijay Suryavanshi issued the order to this effect, which will be implemented from Friday.

The order is applicable for shops selling essential goods, milk and dairy products, grocery fruits and vegetables. However, medical shops, hospitals, clinics and LPG gas centres have the option of operating round the clock, the order said.

Meanwhile, five persons tested positive on Thursday in the KDMC limits, which took the total number of such cases to 43, including two deaths so far, officials said.

Meanwhile, Thane Municipal Commissioner Vijay Singhal issued an order on Thursday saying that the COVID-19 patients should be treated only at the two specified government-run hospitals in the city.

"If private hospitals are found treating these patients, they will face action," it said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)