Pakistan takes special measures near Iran border against COVID-19

Pakistan has taken a number of special measures in its southwestern Balochistan province bordering Iran to screen out any possible person carrying COVID-19 after a rising death toll of the disease in its southwestern neighbor, local media reported Sunday.

Local media quoted Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza as saying that the measures were taken after four deaths and 18 affected persons were reported in different areas in Iran.

According to the reports, the Balochistan provincial government has imposed a state of health emergency in all of the districts near porous Iran border, including Gwadar, Kech, Panjgur and Mashkeel.

Special teams of paramedics equipped with medical thermal guns and other equipment have been deployed at the Taftan border crossing and other check posts to screen people coming from Iran.

Pakistan's ARY news quoted unnamed sources as reporting that local border authorities have closed the border with Iran. But no official announcement has been made yet.

The Balochistan government has established an emergency center and a control room to monitor the special health check posts in different areas near the bordering area.

Hundreds of people from Iran and Pakistan cross the border to both countries daily. The Balochistan government has also banned the departure of Pakistani pilgrims and tourists to cross the border to Iran.