Emergency declared in KP amid fears of coronavirus spread

PESHAWAR - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the province amid fears of the spread of coronavirus into Pakistan. 

A statement issued by the KP ministry of relief, resettlement and rehabilitation said that steps have been taken following the directions of the federal health ministry. 

"Since we [Pakistan] are a neighbor of coronavirus-hit China, there is lots of foreign travel between the two countries. This is why the relevant departments should ensure that safety precautions are in place," it said. 

"The relevant government departments should also take all the measures they can to control the spread of the virus in Pakistan. Initial measures to preempt the detection of the virus should also be in place," it added.

The resumption of direct flights between Pakistan and China have also raised suspicion of spreading the virus in the country.

The death toll in an outbreak of a coronavirus in China, which is the epicenter of the disease, has surged to 426, and more than 19000 people have been infected.