Pak closes Afghan border, sets up scanners at airports
Chaman crossing will remain closed for 7 days in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus on both sides of the border in the best interest of the people: Ministry; pharmacies warned against hiking prices of face masks
Pakistan is closing one of its two border crossings with Afghanistan from Monday in wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the region.
Officials said the Chaman/spinboldak crossing point would close from Monday, but a second point at Torkhum in the northwest would remain open.
The Pak-afghan border at Chaman will remain closed for seven days “in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus on both sides of the border in the best interest of the people of the brotherly countries,” said a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior.
“During the period, necessary measures will be taken to safeguard the health of the people of both countries,” it added.
Meanwhile, in wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the federal government has installed automatic thermal scanners at major airports across Pakistan.
The Ministry of National Health Services joined hands with the Aviation Division to install the scanners at the New Islamabad International Airport, Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport and the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar.
The thermal scanners, equipped to detect temperatures of passengers at the security checkpoints, are part of the screening mechanism put in place at all points of entry. The health and regular surveillance staff have been provided with protection equipment and kits.
Pakistan has confirmed another two novel coronavirus cases bringing the total number to four. “These patients are being handled according to clinical protocols while contact tracing has started,” said Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza.
He added that the two patients who were earlier diagnosed with the virus were in a stable condition and recovering.
A contingency plan has been prepared in case the situation worsens. “Fresh medical staff will be recruited for hospitals where there is a shortage,” he explained. “Some hospitals have been reserved for treating coronavirus cases.”
Dr Mirza warned pharmacies and chemists against hoarding facemask and artificially inflating prices.
He directed the federal health ministry to take serious notice of an increase in prices of facemasks in different cities and to crack down on those involved in black marketing the masks.
“There had been a tremendous spike in the demand for face masks in the initial days owing to the panic and fear spread amongst the people,” Dr Mirza said.
Assuring that masks and medication will be made accessible to the public, he said that the country will not face any shortage of equipment as the government is taking all possible measures to ensure supply on an emergency basis.
Our supply team has been diligently attempting to source and procure new stock with our suppliers who are supporting us as quickly as they can, he added.
“The federal government and all the provinces are together. We are ready to deal with this epidemic”, he added.
In the meantime, the Punjab government has decided to shift the isolation ward at one the largest tertiary care hospitals in Rawalpindi to an under-construction medical facility.
At the same time, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has asked the Indus Hospital of Karachi to purchase testing kits and 25 ventilators to curb the spread and impact of the virus.
Shah gave Indus Hospital’s Dr Abdul Bari the task of purchasing these items, assuring him that the Sindh government would provide the hospital with Rs50 million for the purpose.
Pakistan is sandwiched between China and Iran - which are both fighting major outbreaks -- sparking fears about the country’s ability to cope with an epidemic of its own.
The country has suspended all flights to Iran and closed land borders.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are divided by the “Durand Line”, a 2,400-kilometre frontier with Villages straddling the border and mosques and houses having one door in Pakistan and another in Afghanistan.
The virus has now killed more than 2,900 people and infected over 83,000 worldwide, with an increasing number of new cases being reported each day.