Coronavirus: PIA suspends travel of Umrah pilgrims till March 15

Coronavirus: PIA suspends travel of Umrah pilgrims till March 15

Karachi (Staff Report/Agencies): Pakistan International Airlines on Friday temporary suspended the travel of Umrah pilgrims to Saudi Arabia till March 15.

The development comes after the outbreak of coronavirus in Pakistan.

According to press release, the national carrier will only provide travel facilities to those possessing a work or a residence permit of the kingdom. Pakistanis who hold business visas will also be able to travel to Dammam and Riyadh, but travellers from Peshawar to Jeddah will not be allowed, it read.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza has said that the two patients of coronavirus in Pakistan are 'stable and improving'.

In a tweet on Thursday night, the SAPM said that all those contacts who were traced up until now and had been tested were negative for the virus.

On Wednesday, Pakistan confirmed its first two cases of novel coronavirus. The cases were reported one each in Sindh and a federal area.