As coronavirus outbreak was accelerating in the country, some 75 staffers of US Embassy in Pakistan took a special flight to Georgia in haste on Sunday, fearing the crisis may get worse due to a lack of equipment for medics.
The US Embassy staff's special flight took off from Islamabad International Airport after one of its staffers was quarantined in Islamabad on March 21, creating panic among other embassy officials, who left via a special plane to save themselves from catching the disease.
It could not be confirmed whether the patient-who had been quarantined after being diagnosed with coronavirus-also left for the US along with 75 staffers or still in Pakistan as US Embassy is reluctant to share the details of its staffer, who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Scott Robinson, the deputy spokesman for the US Embassy in Islamabad did not respond to text messages and telephone calls about the coronavirus patient of its embassy and other developments which the embassy took in wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan, till filing of this report. Earlier in the day, a US diplomat asked the American citizens in Pakistan to stay in touch through Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) - a free service to allow US citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest US Embassy or Consulate.
Minister Consular Affairs for US Mission in Pakistan Eric Cohan said Punjab is home to approximately 25,000 US citizens - the largest resident population in Pakistan (60,000 plus).
"One of the best ways to stay in touch for US citizens for living in and visiting Pakistan is through STEP". The US Consulate in Lahore, in a tweet said that during this global health crisis, it's more important than ever for American citizens to register for STEP to receive the latest information.
The United States State Department has allowed diplomatic or consular staff and their families in Pakistan to leave on a voluntary basis "who have determined they are at a higher risk of a poor outcome if exposed to COVID-19", said a statement posted on US Embassy's website.