ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization said it was satisfied with the way the Pakistan government was handling the coronavirus epidemic, state-owned news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Sunday.

Pakistan on Saturday confirmed four cases of the virus in the country-- all patients with ties to neighboring Iran where the latest death toll of 54 tallies at the highest of any country outside of China. Since the outbreak, Pakistan has sealed its land borders with Iran and Afghanistan and stepped up surveillance at all entry points and airports. A ‘National Action Plan’ to contain the spread of the virus was unveiled in a press conference on Saturday, and the government of southern Sindh province announced it would be closing all schools until March 13. 

“I am impressed by the swift and diligent way the government has handled the crisis so far, and WHO is committed to supporting them every step of the way,” APP quoted Dr. Palitha Mahipala as saying-- the WHO representative in Pakistan.

The WHO has upped the status of the current epidemic to its highest level, stopping just short of declaring the outbreak a pandemic. The disease has so far claimed 3,000 lives and infected roughly 87,000 people in 64 countries.