Pakistan issues new advisory for international travellers
- 31 Oct 2020
Gulf Today Reporter
Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a new travel advisory, under which it has reduced the number of countries from where passengers will be allowed to enter without a coronavirus test.
The latest travel advisory issued on Satuday, which will be valid from Nov.6 till Dec.31, divides international travellers into two categories, Geo News reported.
Passengers under category A will not need a negative COVID-19 test, while those in category B will be required to undergo coronavirus screening 96 hours prior to boarding a flight to Pakistan.
Amid the recent resurgences in several countries, the nations under in category A has been reduced from 30 to 22.
These include Singapore, China, Cuba, Estonia, Japan, Ghana, Norway, Turkey, Vietnam, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and Sri Lanka.
The new advisory requires airlines to ensure the coronavirus SOPs are followed and has made it mandatory for passengers to fill out the health declaration form.
Meanwhile, the NCOC on Saturday urged citizens help to report violations of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) imposed against the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to avoid a second wave.
“With the arrival of second wave and continued wide scale violation of the SOPs, the NCOC has decided to seek citizens help for SOP compliance,” Geo News quoted NCOC chairman and Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar as saying in a tweet.
Pakistan reported 807 new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, which increased the country’s total infection tally to 332,993.
The NCOC said 11 people succumbed to the virus in hospitals during this period, while 539 patients recovered.
Yet another doctor succumbed to the coronavirus in Peshawar on Saturday.
In a statement, the Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) said Dr Sultan Zeb — associate dean at the Khyber College of Dentistry — had been diagnosed with the coronavirus and was undergoing treatment at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC).
Expressing grief at his demise, the association said Dr Zeb’s contributions to the field of medicine would be remembered. The statement added that his funeral would take place in Buner.