NSC meeting summoned as coronavirus cases jump to 21.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday called an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee to discuss measures to prevent the novel coronavirus from further spreading in the country.

Chief ministers of all four provinces have been invited to the meeting, which will also be attended by ministers of defence, interior and foreign affairs as well as prime minister's aides on health, economy, information and broadcasting and national security division. All three heads of the armed forces and the directors-general of Inter-Services Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau will also attend the meeting among other officials.

The decision came as another case of infectious disease emerged in Gilgit-Baltistan on Thursday. Pakistan has reported 21 confirmed cases of the virus so far and all of them had travel histories. The latest case was reported in Shigar, Skardu, where the case of a 31-year-old man who recently returned from Iran was found positive.

On Wednesday, a 14-year-old from Skardu had also tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

According to data shared by the National Institute of Health (NIH), over 0.8 million people have been screened so far, out of which 271 were suspected cases. Upon tests, 21 people were tested positive out of a total of 471.

On Thursday, the Punjab government declared a 'health emergency' in the province to deal with the novel coronavirus which has been designated as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The decision was taken by Punjab cabinet after receiving a briefing on the novel coronavirus from provincial health officials. The cabinet was informed that as many as 3,964 zaireen who returned from a pilgrimage in Iran have been screened and kept under observation. A quarantine facility has been established in the southern Punjab district of DG Khan for 800 pilgrims returning from from Iran.

The cabinet was also informed that Chinese citizens in the province are also being screened for the mysterious contagion. A ministerial committee has been assigned to decide further actions.

Balochistan Minister Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind said all schools will remain closed till March 31 as a precautionary measure. "Action will be taken against schools that do not comply with the decision which has been taken after consultation with the health ministry," he said. "Matric exams have been postponed. We're in talks with to shut madrassahs as well. A decision regarding reopening of educational...