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Coronavirus fears: Pakistan closes land border with Iran

Coronavirus fears: Pakistan closes land border with Iran
February 24, 2020
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Pakistan has closed its land border with Iran, while Afghanistan suspended travel to the neighbouring country as fears across the region continued to grow over a jump in new coronavirus infections. Both Afghanistan and Pakistan share long, porous borders with Iran. Millions of Afghan refugees currently live in the Islamic Republic – raising fears that the virus could easily spread over the border. "To prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and protect the public, Afghanistan suspends all passenger movement (air and ground) to and from Iran,” the office of the National Security Council of Afghanistan said in a statement posted on Twitter. A provincial official in Pakistan and the country’s Frontier Corps also confirmed that the country had sealed the land border with Iran. Earlier on Sunday, Pakistani authorities closed Pak-Iran border at Taftan town in Chagai district, to avoid spread of coronavirus reportedly found in Iran. The transit gate and joint markets at the border have been closed, while trade and traveling activities suspended. Authorities said precautionary and protective measures are being taken in Taftan where 100-bed tent hospital is being established to combat emergency situation at Pak-Iran border. Earlier, Pakistan has declared emergency in the Balcohsitan’s areas bordering Iran over fears of transfer of coronavirus into the country. According to the details garnered, declaring an emergency in the border districts due to the fear of cronavirus transferring to the country, the Balochistan government has banned movement of Pakistani passengers to Iran in a wake of coronavirus threat. The passengers have been called back to Quetta from Taftan while the local government has also directed to establish special check posts to stop people from traveling to Iran. According to the provincial health department, staff and medical equipment have also been sent to the border town of Taftan, through which hundreds of people cross into the city daily. A team has also been sent from Quetta to the city to train local officials. A camp has also been set up. Earlier, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal had telephoned PM Imran Khan after Iran reported deaths from coronavirus. He informed the premier that he is personally overseeing all the measures to prevent spread of coronavirus in the province and special teams have been formed to prevent the outbreak. Jam Kamal further said that District Health Officers were directed to take all precautions and special medical teams were also deployed in Taftan and other sensitive areas. It is pertinent t to mention here that Iran ordered the closure of schools, universities and cultural centres after the number of people infected with the deadly virus rose to 28 with five fatal cases.