Pakistan closes border with Iran amid Coronavirus fears

QUETTA: Pakistan has sealed Taftan border with Iran after coronavirus outbreak in the country, which has claimed seven lives so far, ARY News reported on Sunday.

The border authorities have closed the transit gate, corridor and the passport gate, sources said.

Iran gate zero point was closed earlier yesterday, officials said.

Earlier, Balochistan govt had declared emergency in the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

Around 100 intending pilgrims to Iran have been called back to Quetta. The sources at Balochistan home department have said that the pilgrims would not be issued permits till the next order.

The government has issued orders for setting up special check posts at Quetta, Mastung, Naushki and Chagai to stop the pilgrims. The deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and SPs have been cautioned to halt the pilgrims to Iran.

An emergency centre has been set up at Taftan border crossing with Iran with doctors posted to screen pilgrims returning from the neighbouring country.

A foreign news agency has reported seventh death in the country by the coronavirus outbreak that began from China’s Wuhan city. Iranian health authorities had earlier reported five deaths and further 18 people tested positive for the virus in Iran.

The outbreak in Iran began in the city of Qom, an often-visited religious destination. The health ministry official Minou Mohrez warned it had since spread to several cities, including the capital, Tehran, official IRNA news agency said.