Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan announced Thursday airport authorities have begun screening travelers from neighboring China for signs of the coronavirus.

China’s recent billions of dollars of investments in infrastructure development projects in Pakistan has led to a spike in the number of people traveling between the two countries, including thousands of Chinese workers.

A day earlier, health authorities had issued an advisory warning all the concerned to take precautionary measures.

So far, 17 people have been killed and 570 infected from the coronavirus only in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Special Assistant to the PM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza while chairing a meeting of senior officials discussed the precautionary measures and a response mechanism in the wake of the recent cases of Corona virus emerging across China. The virus has spread to five countries including the US.

The PM’s aide told the participants of the meeting that the directorate of the health ministry dealing with airport and port health services had been asked to maintain strict vigilance at the points of entry and check travellers coming in from affected areas.

“The directorate has been advised to strengthen health desk and quarantine arrangements at the ports of entry,” he added.

There are 41 incoming flights from China to Pakistan every week.

“I am writing to all chief ministers to ensure necessary arrangements in all the provinces,” said Mirza. “I am establishing contact with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) while we will also be working closely with the Embassy of China in Pakistan to deal with the crisis.”