ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has detected its first two cases of novel coronavirus,a public health advisor to Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted on Wednesday(Feb 26), days after Islamabad closed its land border with Iran, where 19people have died from the virus.
“I can confirm first two cases of corona virus in Pakistan. Both cases arebeing taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of themare stable. No need to panic, things are under control,” tweeted healthadvisor Zafar Mirza.
A statement issued by the southern Sindh province’s health departmentstated that the first positive case was reported in Karachi in a22-year-old male with a “history of travel to Iran where he has acquiredthe virus.”
Officials did not confirm where the second case was reported.
Mirza said he would hold a press conference on Thursday on Pakistan’s newcases.
With porous borders, creaking hospitals and large illiterate populations,Pakistan faces a potentially devastating health crisis from the newcoronavirus.
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The virus has spread to more than 30 countries, killing over 2,700 andinfecting 80,000, mostly in China.
But new outbreaks in Europe, the Middle East and in Asia have fanned fearsof the contagion taking hold in poor nations which lack the healthcareinfrastructure to cope.
Islamabad has a history of failing to contain infectious diseases such aspolio, tuberculosis and hepatitis.
