Two Pakistanis return from virus-hit China after clearance

PESHAWAR: Amid growing concerns over a deadly virus outbreak that has so far sickened thousands, the overwhelming majority in China, and killed over 300 people, including a first overseas death from the disease in Philippines, two Pakistani nationals arrived in Peshawar from China.

They flew to Doha from the virus-hit country and then headed to Pakistan. They were screened upon arrival at the Peshawar airport.

Sources told ARY News that the individuals have been shifted to an isolation ward.

They will be quarantined for a 14-day period as part of safety measures to block possible transmission of the deadly disease to Pakistan.

A Pakistani student, Arsalan Amin, had reached Karachi from China earlier this week. He was enrolled at a university in Wuhan, the city most affected by the Coronavirus outbreak.

It is to be mentioned here that around 30,000 Pakistani students, enrolled at various Chinese academic institutions, are currently present in China.

Amin, talking to media, said that he had quit the city before it was sealed by the authorities. He reached Shanghai from Wuhan on January 22 and later to Dubai and returned back to Karachi, Arsalan Amin said.

“People are frightened from the outbreak in China and 559 Pakistani students have been stranded in Wuhan province, ” the student said.

Pakistani students in China are very anxious due to the deadly outbreak, he said.

The Chinese authorities are properly taking care of Pakistanis, he further said.

“I was allowed to leave after required medical test clearance,” Arsalan Amin said