Both coronavirus patients now 'stable and improving': Zafar Mirza

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr Zafar Mirza, said Thursday the two patients who were diagnosed with coronavirus a day earlier were stable and their condition was improving.

In a tweet, Dr Mirza said: "Both patients of #COVIDー19 are stable and improving.

224/ Both patients of #COVIDー19 are stable and improving. Contacts traced until now and tested are all negative, Alhamdililah

— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) February 27, 2020

"Contacts traced until now and tested are all negative," he added.

Earlier in the day, the family of Pakistan's first confirmed coronavirus patient has been cleared of suspicion over being infected, the Sindh health department said.

In a statement, the health department said the 22-year-old patient's family underwent medical tests to check if they too were infected with the coronavirus; however, they tested negative and were consequently cleared.

It further noted that no positive case of coronavirus was reported during the day.

After the young man was tested positive, he was immediately placed in a quarantine at a private hospital on the National Stadium Road, while his family in an isolation ward. The health department then obtained the details of the passengers he had travelled with and dispatched a team to inspect his residence as well as his neighbourhood.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) standard operating procedures (SOP) dictate that everyone who came into contact with the infected person should be checked for the virus.

The 22-year-old's condition had reportedly started to deteriorate on February 18 and he underwent a hijama — or cupping therapy — at a local health centre in Iranian city of Mashhad. After that, he suffered from a headache.

He had arrived in Karachi on February 20, indicating that there were chances that the thermal screening machines at the airports for those entering the country may not have worked after all.

The machines are supposed to immediately detect higher-than-usual body temperature.

Chinese nationals banned from Iran amid coronavirus outbreak

Iranian authorities have decided to impose an outright ban on arrivals of all Chinese nationals into the country amid a sudden surge in coronavirus cases that has led to more than two dozen deaths.

The official IRNA news agency said in a Thursday report that arrival restrictions would apply to all Chinese nationals seeking to enter Iran.

The report said the decision had been adopted by Iran’s Immigration and Passport Police and would be enforced in all airports and points of entry, including the Imam Khomeini airport located outside the capital Tehran.

The ban comes despite recent statistics showing the China has managed to weather a peak of coronavirus outbreak in the country more than a month after it began in the central city of Wuhan.

The number of new cases reported in mainland China on Thursday was for a first time lower than the rest of the world.

More than 2,700 people have died in China as a result of the infection, most of them in the central Hubei province.

Iran stopped passenger flights to China in early February in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus. However, authorities said last week when a first case was reported in the central city of Qom that people routinely travelling to China for businesses purposes had used indirect flights during the outbreak.

Iranian health ministry said on Thursday that the number of coronavirus cases confirmed in the country had reached 245, adding that a total of 26 people had died.

That comes as the number of new cases announced by the ministry jumped in the 24 hours leading to Thursday with 106 new infections and seven deaths.

Leader hails Iran’s health minister, medical staff for battling coronavirus

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has lauded “invaluable” efforts being made by Iran’s Health Minister Saeed Namaki and the country’s entire health sector in the fight against a coronavirus outbreak.

Ayatollah Khamenei delivered a message to the country’s medical staff on Thursday at a meeting with Alireza Marandi, the president of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Leader expressed his “heartfelt thanks” to the Iranian health minister and his colleagues as well as the country’s entire medical personnel, including doctors and nurses, for their hard work to contain COVID-19, as the novel coronavirus is called.

“Your work is invaluable. It both enhances the value of the medical and nursing community in the society — something which has already come about — and, more importantly, it will bring you divine reward,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

Read more: Corona-virus outbreak: Quetta-Taftan railway track closed for passengers

Ayatollah Khamenei further wished the country’s healthcare system success in the fight against the epidemic, expressing hope that the “difficult and momentous task” will not become prolonged, and that the “malicious virus will be uprooted as soon as possible.”

The virus first emerged in China late last year and is now spreading in Europe and across the Middle East, sparking fears of a global pandemic.

The outbreak has killed more than 2,600 people and infected more than 77,000 others in China. But the situation has worsened elsewhere with nearly 2,700 other cases.

In Iran, the virus first showed up in the north-central city of Qom, a destination for Muslim pilgrims from across the world. In all, the spread has taken 26 lives across the country and infected as many as 245 others, most of them in Qom.

People with virus symptoms should avoid Jumma congregation: President Alvi

As two confirmed cases of novel coronavirus deepened concerns about the spread of the disease in the country, President Arif Alvi urged the people having “fever, cough, shortness of breath or any flu symptom” should avoid going to public gatherings.

He said: “I have taken opinion from Ulema that for the sake of community well being they can perform prayers at home & avoid Jumma congregation so as not to put other people at risk.”

People who have fever cough shortness of breath or any flu symptom should avoid going to public gatherings. I have taken opinion from Ulema that for the sake of community well being they can perform prayers at home & avoid Jumma congregation so as not to put other people at risk.

— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) February 27, 2020

Earlier today, Minister for Health Azra Pechuho released a video message on precautionary measures to be taken after confirmation of coronavirus cases in Pakistan.

The minister said that people should follow the precautions with due diligence and not take high fever, cough, and trouble in breathing lightly.

Flight operations to Iran will be suspended from midnight

Pakistan on Thursday decided to suspend flights to and from Iran at midnight in light of the swelling number of coronavirus cases in the neighbouring country.

Road and rail movement between the two countries had already been suspended earlier in the week.

The decision comes a day after two cases of coronavirus were reported in Pakistan. Both the infected people had recently visited Iran, where the number of people affected by the virus has grown drastically in the past few days.

"Aviation Division has decided to cease all direct flights between Pakistan and Iran with effect from midnight between 27 and 28 February 2020 till further notice," a message from Joint Secretary of Aviation Abdul Sattar Khokhar said.

Meanwhile, a round-the-clock coronavirus control room has been set up at the Aviation Division, confirmed the spokesperson.

The government has decided to continue flights to and from Saudi Arabia for passengers holding iqama or permanent Saudi nationalities. However, people wishing to visit Saudi Arabia for Umrah or tourism will not be allowed on the flights.

The decision was taken in light of the Saudi government's decision to suspend Umrah and tourism operations in light of the growing number of coronavirus affectees all over the world.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) also tweeted about these measures and said that while the national carrier will continue flight operations as usual, people with Umran or tourist visas will not be able to go to Saudi Arabia as "PIA will fully implement instructions given by the Saudi government".

 

Pakistan will respond whenever its security, resolve is challenged: DG ISPR

Pakistan and India are two nuclear powers and there is no space for war between the two countries, military spokesperson Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said on Thursday in his first-ever public briefing to the media.

Addressing a press conference at General Headquarters, the new military spokesperson sad India is playing "dangerous games" at the Line of Control (LoC) to divert attention from internal issues, but Pakistan Army stands ready to respond to any misadventure.

This was Maj Gen Iftikhar's first media briefing since he took charge of the office on February 1, 2020. He was appointed chief of the military’s media wing last month as Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor completed his term.

Iftikhar said, “whenever the country has faced difficult times, the armed forces and the people have faced them bravely.”

“February 27 is a bright day in the history of Pakistan,” Maj Gen Iftikhar said, referring to the downing of two Indian fighter jets on this day last year.

“Whether there are internal or external dangers, we are ready. The military is aware of our enemy’s covert operations,” he said.

On a question about Indian military leaders’ recent threats, the DG said “Pakistan is keeping an eye on the Indian military’s preparedness.”

"Our core capability is 100% ready. If India ever tried [to start a war] we will be ready for them," he said.

27 Feb commemorates resolve of Pakistan Armed Forces against any aggression. The way we responded on this day is a proof that any misadventure by enemies of Pakistan will always be defeated. Our adversaries will be surprised with our bold responses every time.#SurpriseDay

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) February 27, 2020

Kashmir is an international issue now

Speaking on the Kashmir situation, Gen Iftikhar said the issue has been internationalised as India’s actions on August 5, 2019 made the situation worse in the territory.

“Life has come to a halt in the region. There is a communication lock-down. This is not a regional issue between the two [countries any longer]; it is one of the biggest humanitarian issues [in the world today].”

“International media, human rights organisations have condemned the move.”

“The UN chief has also called for an end to the human rights violations,” he recalled.

He added, “our country’s leadership has done its best to highlight the issue. Pakistan is standing with the Kashmiri people."

'From terrorism to tourism'

The military’s spokesperson further said that for the last 20 years, Pakistan Army and other law enforcing agencies have successfully waged a war against terrorism.

“We are the only country who has fought terrorism and played our part against [the menace]. We have conducted numerous operations and successfully demolished terrorist centres and taken explosive material into custody.”

“More than 1,000 members of Al-Qaeda have been killed in the operations,” he added.

DG Ifthikar further said that operation Radd-ul-Fasd, which completed three years recently, has played an important part and helped in the elimination of terrorism from the country.

“Pakistan’s role against terrorism has been hailed by the international community, including the United Nations,” he said. “As a result of this, this country has gone from a state of terrorism to tourism.”

Coronavirus

When asked about the army's role in combating the coronavirus, the military spokesperson said the army was ready to play its part if called to action.

“So far, there have been only two reported cases of coronavirus in the country. This means that we have taken all the preventive measures that were needed to be taken,” he said.

“Pakistan Army is ready to help out when the government asks us. Any meeting or conference that has taken place regarding coronavirus, a military representative has been a part of it. If called to action, we will respond to that, he added.

IMF reaches staff-level agreement with Pakistan on second review

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan reached a staff-level agreement "on policies and reforms needed to complete the second review of the authorities reform program supported under the EFF," read a statement from Ernesto Ramirez Rigo, the IMF's Mission Chief for Pakistan.

A statement from Ernesto Ramirez Rigo, Mission Chief for Pakistan, on Thursday stated that the organisation had arrived at a staff-level agreement with Pakistan on the policies and reforms needed to complete the second review of the authorities reform program supported under the EFF.

The policies and reforms will be subject tao approval by the IMF management and Executive Board which is expected in early April. "Completion of the review will enable disbursement of SDR 328 million (around US$450 million)," read the statement from Rigo.

A couple of weeks ago, the IMF said in an end-of-mission press release pertaining to its 10-day talks with the government that Pakistan had made "considerable progress" via sound economic policies over the past few months.

"Considerable progress has been made in the last few months in advancing reforms and continuing with sound economic policies," the global financial body had said.

The IMF had further noted in its statement that "all end-December performance criteria were met and structural benchmarks have been completed" and in terms of performance, Pakistan had achieved all economic targets.

"Steadfast progress on program implementation will pave the way for the IMF Executive Board’s consideration of the review," it had said, adding that "development and social spending have been accelerated" through programme implementation.