COVID-19: Interior ministry seals Wagha Border

Border will be closed for the initial period of two weeks

LAHORE: The Ministry of Interior on Thursday announced to close the Wagha Border for two weeks as a precautionary measure to limit the spread of coronavirus that has claimed two lives and affected more than 300 people in the country.

The notification, issued by the interior ministry, orders the relevant authority for "complete sealing of Wagha Border for an initial period of two weeks (14 days) with immediate effect in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, in the best interest of both countries."

PHOTO: EXPRESS

Earlier in the day, the provincial governments set out for a lockdown in wake of a surge in novel coronavirus cases across the country.



The deadly pneumonia-like virus, which surfaced in China’s Hubei province late December 2019, has infected over 200,000 people globally with over 9,000 deaths.

Although scientists around the globe are developing vaccine and medication, the only defence against the virus currently is preventive measures– self-isolation or quarantine.

The Punjab government also banned all inter-provincial public transport heading towards Sindh as a precautionary measure to limit the deadly pandemic.