Pilgrims returning from Iran shifted to quarantine

QUETTA: Pakistani officials on Tuesday shifted 14 pilgrims returning from Iran to quarantine centre for mandatory isolation period to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the province.

The quarantine facility established at Pak-Iran border town in Taftan was catering the pilgrims.

The provincial health officials confirmed arrival of the pilgrims from Iran at the border town where they were screened at the passport gate and shifted to quarantine centre.

“The pilgrims visited religious sites in Iran. Therefore a mandatory screening was carried out at their arrival at Taftan. Later, they were shifted to quarantine centre established in Pakistan House,” said a health official, adding the Covid-19 tests of the pilgrims would also be carried out.

Balochistan government has catered hundreds of pilgrims from Iran during the past two months after the first case of the virus surfaced in the country on Feb 26. Later the provincial government arranged return of pilgrims belonged to other provinces of the country after the quarantine period.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2020.