Alarmed by the growing number of coronavirus cases in Iran, Pakistan on Saturday mulled steps to stop any possible virus spread to its territory from the neighbouring country.

Pakistan has a 959-km long porous border with Iran with a very few crossing points for goods traffic and pilgrims. There was apparently no screening equipment and medical staff at the border crossings.

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal on Saturday telephoned Prime Minister Imran Khan and discussed with him the situation arising out of the coronavirus cases in neighbouring Iran as Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait had also announced steps to check the virus spread.

CM Jam discussed with the PM the steps his government has taken so far for tackling the situation. He told the PM that he himself monitoring the implementation of the measures.

As per reports thousands of people including traders and pilgrims, especially from the Hazara community in Balochistan, crossed the Pakistan-Iran border every day, but the screening desks have only been set up at Quetta Airport.

The government had already established screening desks at all major airports of the country to check passengers coming from China.

Meanwhile, Iranian health authorities on Saturday reported fifth death in the country by the coronavirus outbreak that began from China’s Wuhan city. A further 18 people have been tested positive for the virus in Iran.

The outbreak in Iran began in the city of Qom, an often-visited religious destination. The health ministry official Minou Mohrez warned it had since spread to several cities, including the capital, Tehran, official IRNA news agency said.

The Central Health Establishment facing shortage of the staff to monitor the movement as its staff is required to be deployed at the airport and the border crossing.

The staff is being recruited for deployment at Taftan and Torkham borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan respectively. The personnel will be deployed after completion of the recruitment process.

So far, 28 cases have been confirmed in Iran, including the five who died. People are being treated for the virus in at least four different cities, including the capital, Tehran, where some pharmacies had already run out of masks and hand sanitizer. Other cities are Qom, Arak and Rasht.

The virus loomed over a nationwide parliamentary election in Iran on Friday. Many voters went to the polls wearing face masks.

Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour made Saturday's announcement for the latest figures on state TV, but did not specify when the fifth death occurred. Two people had died earlier Friday from COVID-19, the illness caused by virus. Authorities reported two deaths previously this week.

Jahanpour said that of the 10 newly detected cases, two were in the capital of Tehran and eight were in the city of Qom. That's where the first two elderly patients died on Wednesday. He said the two patients in the capital had visited Qom or had links with the city.

Minoo Mohraz, an Iranian health ministry official, had said Friday that the virus "possibly came from Chinese workers who work in Qom and travelled to China." She did not elaborate. A Chinese company has been building a solar power plant in Qom.

World Health Organization officials have said that China's crackdown on parts of the country bought time for the rest of the world to prepare for the new virus. But as hotspots emerge around the globe, including in South Korea and Iran, there has been trouble finding the first patient who sparked each new cluster.

Qom is a popular religious destination and a centre of learning and religious studies for Shiites from inside Iran, as well as Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan and Azerbaijan.

As a preventive measure, Iran has closed schools in Qom and Arak. Also, the city of Tehran closed down all bistros and water fountains in the city's subway stations until further notice.

The measures also include daily cleanings of metro train cars and city buses.

Elsewhere in the region, Saudi Arabia announced that citizens and residents of the kingdom are not permitted to travel to Iran following the spread of the virus there. Anyone previously in Iran will only be permitted entry to the country after the 14-day incubation period of the virus has passed.

The decision, while not specifically mentioning Iranian nationals, directly impacts thousands of Iranians who travel to Makkah and Medinah for pilgrimages, effectively barring them from entry to Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom has already barred its citizens and residents from travel to China.