Daily News New York City. March 29, 2020

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CORONAVIRUS

ISLAMABAD— China sent a

plane loaded with medical

personnel and supplies Sat-

urday to help Pakistan fight

the spread of the coronavirus

in one of the world’s most

populous nations.

Across the Middle East

and elsewhere, the outbreak

has raised concerns that

health systems strapped by

multiple wars, refugee crises

and unstable economies

won’t be able to handle the

growing number of cases.

In Iran, which is battling

the worst outbreak in the

region, state TV said Sat-

urday another 139 people had

died from the virus. That

pushed the total fatalities in

Iran to 2,517 amid 35,

confirmed cases.

China has sought to por-

tray itself as a global leader in

the fight against the out-

break, which began a few

months ago in its Hebei

province. The plane carrying

aid to Pakistan was met at the

capital’s airport by Foreign

Minister Shah Mahmood

Qureishi.

China had previously sent

ventilators and masks to Pa-

kistan, a key link in China’s

ambitious multibillion-dollar

One Road Project linking

South and Central Asia with

China. China is also a key

military supplier for nuclear-

armed Pakistan, having sup-

plied the country with mis-

siles capable of carrying

atomic weapons.

Pakistan, with a popula-

tion of 220 million, has 1,

confirmed cases of the co-

ro n av i r u s , i n c l u d i n g 1 1

deaths from the illness it

causes, COVID-19. Most of

the infected people have

been travelers returning from

neighboring Iran.

Pakistan has closed its

borders with both Iran and

Afghanistan, but has come

under criticism for its initial

lax response to the virus.

Pakistan Prime Minister

Imran Khan has refused to

impose a countrywide lock-

down, saying it would devas-

tate the country’s poor, but

ordered nonessential busi-

nesses closed, including

restaurants, money changers

and wedding halls.

China sends Pakistan aid

Medical supplies, personnel arrive to treat virus victims

BY KATHY GANNON

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Medical personnel pray before their shift in Pakistani hospital set up for coronavirus-infected patients.

AP