"I want to tell my nation that we're facing a difficult situation. We need to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) properly to defeat coronavirus," said Prime Minister Imran Khan in the parliament.

"It is our duty to make people realise how important it is to save the elderly and those with comorbidities. We have people sitting here [in NA] who have recovered, but for those with weakness and illnesses, it can be life threatening.

"This next step is critical because we have two paths before us; if we take precautions, then God willing our facilities are enough to cope with it [the outbreak]," said the premier, warning that negligence could make matters worse.

"If we can get past this month without numbers escalating, the worst could be over."