The Punjab government on Thursday declared a medical emergency after 20 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the country this week.

“All the departments have to work together with the health department,” Punjab Health Minister Yasmeen Rashid said, while speaking to reporters in Lahore.

“We need to take the coronavirus epidemic seriously. Precautionary measures such as unnecessarily touching face, shaking hands should be avoided,” she said, adding that precautionary measures will help in curbing the spread of the virus.

Rashid added, “If an emergency has been declared, people need to take the situation seriously. Public gatherings needs to be avoided.”

Pakistan’s tally of coronavirus reached 20 on Wednesday after Gigit-Baltistan reported its second coronavirus case, a spokesperson for the GB government, Faizullah Firaq, said.

It is pertinent to mention here that none of the confirm cases in the country is from Punjab.