TORKHAM: Comprehensive arrangements have been made at the Pak-Afghan border in Torkham to prevent the spread of coronavirus from Afghanistan to Pakistan.

A team of 13 expert doctors and medical staff has screened 143,958 people entering Pakistan from Afghanistan via Torkham border during the last three weeks. Deputy Commissioner Khyber tribal district Mehmood Aslam Wazir said while talking to TNN that a medical team has been deployed at Torkham Gate after coronavirus arrived in Iran and Afghanistan. The medical team scans the people entering Pakistan through thermal screening guns.

The deputy commissioner said an ambulance has also been provided at Torkham border to deal with any emergency case. Emergency has also been declared at the Pak-Afghan Friendship Hospital Torkham, Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Landikotal and Jamrud amid the threat of coronavirus outbreak.

According to a statement issued by the district administration of Khyber tribal district, quarantine facility is also available at Torkham border for suspected coronavirus cases. The statement said the district administration is making all possible efforts to prevent the entry of infected patients in Pakistan. It said no confirmed case of coronavirus has appeared at Torkham so far.

District Health Officer (DHO) Tariq Hayat told TNN that all necessary arrangements were made at Torkham borders one month ago over reports that coronavirus has reached Afghanistan. He said thermal guns are being used to identify coronavirus infected people. He said temperature of those arriving at the border and their 14-day travel data is also checked.

The DHO said isolation wards have already been set up at hospitals in Torkham, Landikotal and Jamrud to deal with suspected coronavirus cases. He said ambulances have also provided in these hospitals which shift the suspected patients to Police and Services Hospital Peshawar which is specially designated to deal with coronavirus patients. He said the federal and provincial health ministries have provided full cooperation to the distrcit administration of Khyber to prevent the spread of the disease.

So far, over 2,700 deaths have been confirmed from coronavirus in the world and over 81,000 others have been infected. Pakistan is facing a huge challenge to avoid the disease as the virus has already made entry to the neighboring Afghanistan and Iran.

Pakistan has already closed its border with Iran, while Turkey has also done so to prevent the spread of the virus.