Pakistan reports 6th COVID-19 case

Islamabad: Pakistan’s sixth coronavirus (COVID-19) case was reported in Karachi, according to the Sindh health department.

In a statement on Thursday, the Department said the 69-year-old patient has a travel historyto Iran and had returned to Pakistan on February 25, reports Dawn news.

“He was being monitored by the health department and was tested today (Thursday) when the symptoms showed up. Now, we have three cases of coronavirus in Sindh,” said Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator to the health minister.

The patient had been admitted to the isolation ward of a government hospital and his family quarantine’ at home, he said, adding that a health official would monitor the health of the family periodically.

The three other coronavirus patients were reported from Gilgit-Baltistan.

Meanwhile, more than 1,400 trucks loaded with goods were currently stranded at the Taftan border crossing after Pakistan temporarily closed its border with Iran over concerns of coronavirus, Dawn news said in the report.

Pakistan closed its border with Iran on February 23 amid rising number of coronavirus cases and associated deaths. Balochistan, which shares 959 km border with Iran, has already declared emergency in the province to contain the virus.

Informed sources told Dawn new that Tehran has requested Islamabad to allow trucks to enter into the country.

“We are considering finding out ways for the clearance of goods,” the source said while adding the final decision is expected in the next couple of days.

The trucks stranded at the border were loaded with petroleum products especially liquefied petroleum gas, scrap and chemicals.