Coronavirus outbreak: PM Imran to address nation soon

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday announced that he will address the nation 'soon' on the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, urging people to follow the safety instructions issued by the government. 

Taking to Twitter, the prime minister informed his followers that he was "personally overseeing measures to deal with COVID 19". 

"While there is a need for caution there is no need for panic," he tweeted. 

PM Imran said that his government was alert to the dangers of the virus and that "sufficient protocols" for the safety of the people had been put in place by the government. 

The message from the prime minister comes the same day Pakistan reported three new cases of the novel coronavirus, two from Sindh and one from Islamabad. 

The pandemic has so far killed more than 5,000 people and affected an estimated 145,000 in more than 100 countries. The coronavirus has damaged the global economy, disrupted supply chains across countries and forced people to adopt social distancing.