Pakistan suspends Iran flights operations over coronavirus fears
Pakistan announced on Thursday that it would suspend all flights to and from Iran, as the first pandemic cases were confirmed in the country by travelers who had recently visited Iran, reported media sources.
The suspension will come into effect today at midnight, and will remain in place until further orders, according to the Aviation Division.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has also suggested earlier that the federal government suspend flights until the situation is handled.
“Flights from Iran should be suspended immediately in order to control the situation. These are just some of the preventative measures that we can take right now to stop the spread of virus,” he said.
On Thursday, top officials took immediate action with Punjab and Sindh taking precautionary measures after two cases of coronavirus were reported in the region.
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On Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza confirmed that two cases were diagnosed in the country briefly after the first case in the southern port city was reported.
“I can confirm first two cases of corona virus in Pakistan. Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of them are stable,” Dr Mirza wrote on Twitter.
He also noted that “there is no need to worry because things are being monitored.”
The second patient, found in Islamabad, was transferred to a quarantine at the Pakistan Medical Sciences Institute (PIMS) in the capital city.
