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Pakistan Detects First Coronavirus Cases, LinkstoIran Outbreak

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - Health officials in Pakistan detected Wednesday the first
   two cases of coronavirus in the country, linking them with the outbreak
   in neighboring Iran.

   One patient, Yahya Jaffri,22,had recently flown back with his family
   from Iran to Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province.

   A provincial government spokesman, Murtaza Wahab, said the patient's
   family alsowasplaced in isolation to determinewhether any other members
   hadbeen infected with the virus, known as COVID-19.

   He said health officials were collecting dataaboutpassengers
   whohadtraveled with Jaffri and members of his extended family in order
   totry toprevent the spread of thevirus.

   "I can confirm first two cases of coronavirus in Pakistan. Both cases
   are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols
   andboth of themare stable. No need to panic, things are under control,"
   tweeted Zafar Mirza, the Pakistani federal health minister.

   Details about the second patient were not available immediately.

   On Monday, Pakistan announced it was temporarily closing its border
   with Iran, where coronavirus was first detected a week ago and 19
   people have died out of 139 patients.

   Thousands of Pakistanis have been stranded in Iran since Pakistan
   closed the border with the western neighbor.

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