ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran have agreed to work together to limit the coronavirus outbreak after nearly 3,000 people, including senior government functionaries, were confirmed to have contracted the virus in Iran, reported Radio Pakistan.
The agreement between the two sides over a joint response was reached during a telephonic conversation between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Iranian counterpart, Jawad Zarif today.
Qureshi told Zarif that Pakistan extends its full support to Iran in coping with the virus.
"Pakistan regrets the loss of precious lives in Iran due to the epidemic," he conveyed to his counterpart.
More than 90 people have died in Iran from the epidemic.
Pakistan on Tuesday confirmed its fifth case of the coronavirus. All of the patients had previously traveled to Iran.
According to BBC, cases linked to Iran have also been reported by Afghanistan, Canada, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Over 3,000 quarantined at Pak-Iran border
According to Geo News, the number of people quarantined at Pakistan House at Taftan overwhelmed on Thursday with authorities now shifting the pilgrims to other places.
Quoting Customs officials, the TV channel reported that more than 3,000 people are currently kept at two quarantine centres in Taftan.
Pakistan House at Taftan is filled to capacity, with over 2,500 people being kept thereafter screening at the border crossing.
Meanwhile, authorities have stepped up efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
Screening machines have been installed and quarantine centres established at border outposts where pilgrims coming from Iran are kept before being allowed to enter the country.
Border with Afghanistan sealed
Separately on Monday Pakistan closed the Chaman border crossing to Afghanistan for a week and halted all movement across the Bab-e-Dosti crossing for a week.
According to a notification issued, “The Pak-Afghan border at Chaman will remain closed from March 2 due to the coronavirus outbreak on both sides of the border in the best interest of the people of the brotherly countries.”
The notification further said that during the period of closure, necessary measures will be taken to safeguard the health of the people of both countries.
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