Pakistan suspends international flights for two weeks to contain COVID-19

Reuters
A man wears a face mask as a preventive measure following the coronavirus outbreak, as he talks on mobile phone in Peshawar,

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan on Saturday suspended all international flight operations for two weeks in a bid to contain the coronavirus pandemic, the civil aviation authority said.

"The Government of Pakistan has decided to suspend operation of all international passenger, chartered and private flights to Pakistan, effective from 21st March 2020 (2000 hrs PST) to 4th April 2020 (2000 hrs PST)," it said in a statement.

Cargo and diplomatic flights are exempt.

Pakistan has reported three deaths and 481 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

(Reporting by Asif Shahzad, editing by Louise Heavens)