Coronavirus: Pakistan seals border with Iran, Afghanistan for 14 days

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Friday sealed its borders with Afghanistan and Iran for two weeks as the coronavirus crisis deepens in the region.

A notification from the interior ministry announced that Pakistan will close its western borders with Iran and Afghanistan from March 16 for a period of two weeks after directives were received from the National Security Committee. 

Iran is the second-highest number of deaths in the world from the infection and Pakistan's tally of affected cases rising to 21.

The pandemic has raised alarm bells across the globe with Iran reporting 500 death from the novel virus while more than 1,000 have died in Italy. 

Pakistan on Friday announced closing all schools, colleges and universities in the country till April 5, 2020, as reported cases of the pandemic rose to 21 in the country.