Medical staff stand at the Pakistan-Iran border, which was closed due to the outbreak of coronavirus in Iran, on Tuesday in Taftan, Pakistan. AP

Gulf Today Report

The first two cases of the novel coronavirus in Pakistan have been confirmed, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said in a tweet on Wednesday evening.

"I can confirm first two cases of coronavirus in Pakistan. Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of them are stable," he wrote.

He further said that “things are under control and there is no need to panic.” Dr Mirza, who is currently in the Pak-Iran border town of Taftan, would hold a presser on Thursday to share details.

Mirza's tweet came moments after the Sindh health department announced that a young man had tested positive for the coronavirus in Karachi city.

A health worker takes the temperature of a man who returned from Iran and is under medical observation. Reuters 

The patient has been identified by the Sindh health department as 22-year-old man, who recently flew into Karachi along with his family from Iran where the viral outbreak has killed at least 19 people.

The patient is believed to have contracted the virus in Iran.

He and his family have been placed in quarantine and the health department is in the process of examining all the passengers he has travelled with.

No information was immediately available about the second case identified in Pakistan.