Pakistan shuts schools, suspends Iran flights to curb coronavirus spread

Record ID: 1460771

  • Title: Pakistan shuts schools, suspends Iran flights to curb coronavirus spread
  • Date: 27th February 2020
  • Summary: QUETTA, PAKISTAN (FEBRUARY 27, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC ON ROAD PEOPLE WALKING IN MARKET CLOSED GATE OF SCHOOL SIGNBOARD THAT READS (English/Urdu): "GOVT HIGH SCHOOL" MAN PASTING SCHOLL CLOSURE NOTICE ON SCHOOL GATE NOTICE THAT READS (English): "AS PER GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION REGARDING PREVENTIVE MEASURES AGAINST CORONA VIRUS ALL CBE-Q SCHOOLS WILL REMAIN CLOSED TILL 15TH MARCH 2020." MORE OF CLOSED SCHOOLS QUETTA, PAKISTAN (FEBRUARY 27, 2020) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) PROVINCIAL HEALTH MINISTER, SARDAR YAR MOHAMMAD RIND, SAYING: "Signs of coronavirus have also been found in our neighboring countries. Keeping that in mind, our government has decided that, until a clear picture emerges, all our educational institutions will remain closed till March 15." QUETTA, PAKISTAN (FEBRUARY 27, 2020) (REUTERS) CUSTOMERS AT PHARMACY (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) CUSTOMER AT PHARMACY, IZZAT ULLAH, SAYING: "I am searching for a mask. I told this brother here that I need a mask but he says they are 'short' (not available). Everywhere that I go I am told that masks are not available, they can only be purchased in the black market. I keep saying I just want one mask, not a large quantity, but I am getting the same answer that they are 'short'." MEDICAL EQUIPMENT IN SHOP (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) QUETTA PHARMACIST, ARESH KUMAR, SAYING: "For the past 3 or 4 days, there has been a severe shortage of masks. Many people are asking for masks, but masks are not available. I believe they are being sold in the black market, but God knows where the wholesale people and the surgical store owners are sending the masks. We have no idea where all these masks are going." VARIOUS OF CUSTOMER LOOKING AT MASKS IN PHARMACY ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (FEBRUARY 27, 2020) (REUTERS) PAKISTAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON AISHA FAROOQUI ARRIVING FOR WEEKLY BRIEFING. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAKISTAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON AISHA FAROOQUI, SAYING: "On coronavirus, I would like to say that the government, both at Federal level and at provincial levels, is actively engaged with the government of Iran to deal with this spread of the virus, and the evolving situation. We are working in close collaboration with the government of Iran, and we fully support the efforts of the Iranian authorities in managing the outbreak, and we stand in solidarity with them at this point. Our Embassy and our two Consulates in Iran are alert and monitoring the situation closely, and are continuing to reach out to our community members, the Pakistani 'Zaireen' (pilgrims) and the Pakistani students in Iran. Round the clock helplines at the Embassy and the Consulate in Mashhad and Zahidan have been established to provide updates to our community members on the Virus outbreak, for both their awareness and for their assistance." END OF BRIEFING
  • Embargoed: 12th March 2020 11:58
  • Keywords: Pakistan health schools
  • Location: QUETTA/ ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
  • City: QUETTA/ ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA001C2DZCQV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:PART VIDEO QUALITY AS INCOMING
    Pakistan on Thursday (February 27) shut schools in several areas and suspended flights to and from Iran to try to stop the spread of new coronavirus, after reporting its first cases of the infection, officials said.
    The South Asian nation bordering China and Iran, both of which have been hit hard by the virus, reported its first two cases on Wednesday (February 26).
    Authorities shut schools in the southern province of Sindh, including the country's largest city Karachi where the first case was reported, and the southwestern province of Baluchistan, which borders Iran. They also began to trace nearly 8,000 pilgrims who recently returned to the country from Iran.
    Pakistan's Civil Aviation said it was suspending all flight operations with Iran starting from Thursday evening till further notice. "We have decided to close the flights with Iran," the aviation's spokesman Sattar Khokhar told Reuters. Three Iranian carriers run seven flights a week to and from Pakistan.
    (Production: Khair Mohammad, Salahuddin, Sheree Sardar)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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