COVID-19: Pakistan screens travellers before allowing entry.

KARACHI -- The Central Health Establishment has said pre-emptive measures are in place to stop spread of novel coronavirus in Pakistan and passengers coming from China, Iran, South Africa and Italy are being thoroughly checked at airports and other entry points.

'Trained staff is monitoring the passengers with thermo guns and thermo scanners have been installed at all entry points,' said the Central Health Establishment Director Dr Irfan Tahir while talking to The Express Tribune on Saturday.

Dr Tahir said there are 19 entrance routes to Pakistan including 10 airports, six land routes and three ports. The airports include Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, Quetta, Faisalabad; ground routes include Wagah, Khokhrapar, Chaman, Taftan, Gwadar and Khunjerab Pass, while there are three ports including Karachi.

Dr Tahir noted that 800,000 passengers who had arrived into Pakistan during the last 44 days - since the outbreak of coronavirus in China - had been screened at airports, ground routes and ports.

'On the directives of the premier, strict health security measures have been taken at all the entrance routes, while trained staff is working round-the-clock, so there is no need of fear,' he said.

The passengers arriving from foreign countries are given a health declaration form which they require to fill in the aircraft. The data of the travelers coming from the coronavirus-hit countries is collected and if any one of them is suffering from flu or fever, he is checked at the airport and his case is then...