Pakistan confirms first two cases of coronavirus

KARACHI: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza confirmed the first two cases of the novel coronavirus in Pakistan.

“I can confirm first two cases of coronavirus in Pakistan. Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of them are stable,” he said on the social media site Twitter.

“No need to panic, things are under control,” he added, announcing that he will hold a press conference tomorrow on his return from Taftan.

Later while addressing a press conference in Quetta, Mirza said one of the cases was reported in Sindh while the second was confirmed in the federal areas.

He added that both the affected persons had traveled to Iran in the last two weeks but refused to comment further on the two cases.

220/ I can confirm first two cases of corona virus in Pakistan. Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of them are stable. No need to panic, things are under control. I will hold press conf tomorrow on return from Taftan.

— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) February 26, 2020

The first positive case of the coronavirus in Pakistan has been reported in Karachi, a spokesperson for the Sindh Health Department has confirmed.

The 22-year-old male patient, identified as Yahya Jaffri, recently traveled to Iran where he acquired the virus. The patient traveled from Iran to Karachi by plane.

The patient and his family have been placed in quarantine while the Health Department is examining all the passengers that traveled with him.

The coronavirus has killed at least 2,700 people around the world while more than 81,000 have been infected. The virus is believed to have originated late last year in a food market in the Chinese city of Wuhan.