Pakistan extends flight bans on United Kingdom, South Africa over COVID-19 fears

PIA staff wearing masks posing in front of a grounded PIA plane on March 21, 2020. (Courtesy: PIA twitter)

• Restrictions apply until March 14 to avoid the spread of more contagious new coronavirus variants
• Latest development comes as Pakistan reported 42 additional deaths, increasing overall COVID-19 toll to 12,938

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s civil aviation authority is extending restrictions on travel from the UK, South Africa and some other countries until March 14 to avoid the spread of more contagious new coronavirus variants. 
The measures were imposed in January after other countries also applied restrictions on travel from Britain and South Africa.
Later Pakistan also imposed similar restrictions on travel from Portugal, Netherlands, Tanzania, Botswana, Columbia, Comoros, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Zambia, Brazil and Mozambique. These restrictions are to remain until March 14.
The latest development comes as Pakistan reported 42 additional deaths, increasing the country’s overall COVID-19 toll to 12,938. Pakistan also reported 1,163 new cases.