ISLAMABAD, April 24: The government is considering halting flight operations to SARS-stricken destinations temporarily as a safety precaution.

Federal Health Minister Muhammad Nasir Khan told a press conference here on Thursday that the epidemic was spreading rapidly in other countries as well where it had not reached till recently.

He added that flights coming from China, Hongkong, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Canada, etc., will be strictly monitored to avoid the spread of SARS in Pakistan.

Not one case of this virus afflicting anyone in the country has been reported, the minister said.

Instructions have been issued to all airports in the country from where international flights operate to watch out for the disease, he said.

Airport health authorities at Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Karachi have prepared contingency plans in this regard, he added.

A well-equipped cabin with attendants has been set up at airports. Beds have been arranged at PIMS, Islamabad, JPMC, Karachi, Shaikh Zayed Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospitals, Lahore, for observation and isolation (quarantine) of suspected cases, the minister said.

He said all the airline personnel had been told to take precautionary measures in case of any contact with a suspected SARS patient while in flight.

All the agencies deputed at the airports — Customs, Immigration, Airport Security Force (ASF) — have been given necessary instructions on this worldwide epidemic, he added.

Station managers of all the airlines have been asked to conduct health checking during the travel, the minister said.—APP