Coronavirus outbreak: Activities at Pak-Iran border remain suspended on fourth day

QUETTA: All activities at Pak-Iran border remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday amid the coronavirus outbreak in Iran, which claimed 15 lives so far, ARY News reported.

At least 15 people have reportedly died from the epidemic, more than any country outside China. Country’s deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi had also tested positive for the virus.

The movement has been suspended at Pak-Iran border areas of Taftan and Mashkel in Balochistan. The health officials screening pilgrims returning from Iran at an emergency centre set up at Taftan border crossing.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has made temporary arrangements for the stay of the pilgrims stranded at the Pak-Iran border.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the government of Balochistan Liaquat Shahwani has said the provincial government has set up isolation wards at Gwadar, Mashkel and Panjgur. He said the team of doctors will remain available at isolation wards for 24 hours.

Doctors, health kits, masks are available at the isolation wards set up at areas near to the Taftan border, he said in a statement.

“Presently around 270 pilgrims were present at the border crossing. More 8000 pilgrims from Iran are expected to reach temporary camps set up at the border,” added Shahwani.

Train service between Quetta, Taftan suspended

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Wednesday announced the closure of Quetta-Taftan railway track following the coronavirus outbreak in Iran.

All four trains running between Quetta-Taftan will remain suspended until the closure of Quetta-Taftan border, said Rasheed in a statement.

وفاقی وزیر ریلوے شیخ رشید احمد کا کوئٹہ تافتان ریلوے ٹریفک بند کرنے کا فیصلہ. pic.twitter.com/EO0z8jcAE7

— Sheikh Rashid Ahmad (@ShkhRasheed) February 26, 2020

The new coronavirus epidemic swelled on Wednesday with cases in South Korea surging past 1,000 after deaths soared in Iran and infections appeared in previously untouched countries, prompting dire warnings that the world was not ready to contain it.

The virus has rapidly spread in parts of Asia, Europe and the Middle East, even as the number of fresh cases and deaths decline at the disease epicentre in China.