With porous borders, creaking hospitals and large illiterate populations,
Afghanistan and
Pakistan face a potentially devastating health crisis after the new coronavirus erupted in neighbouring Iran.
Islamabad has closed official border crossings while
Kabul has suspended all travel to the Islamic republic, which has reported 19 deaths and a total of 139 infections -- making it one of the hardest hit countries outside the virus epicentre China.
The virus has spread to more than 30 countries, killing over 2,700 and infecting 80,000, mostly in China.