Pakistan’s prime minister called for calm after its tally of coronavirus cases rose to 256 while Sri Lanka sealed itself off and declared a partial curfew on Wednesday as South Asian countries tried to stem the epidemic.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Indian subcontinent topped 500 on Wednesday.

Officials imposed travel restrictions to block the spread of the disease amid fears that inadequate health facilities could be overwhelmed in a region that is home to nearly 1.9 billion people.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, in an address to the nation, urged citizens to remain calm and not rush to get tested.

“Only those with intense symptoms should go to hospital,” he said. “There is no need to worry. We will fight this as a nation. And God-willing, we will win this war.”

His comments came amid a growing dispute in Pakistan between federal and provincial authorities, with the latter struggling to secure sufficient coronavirus testing kits and blaming the federal government for failing to properly test and quarantine hundreds of Pakistanis who recently returned home across a land border with Iran.

Pakistan said on Tuesday it would require all arriving air passengers to show they had tested negative for the disease. Land borders have already been shut.

First Bangla death

Bangladesh confirmed its first fatality from the disease on Wednesday, while its total tally of confirmed cases rose to 14.

Prices of essential commodities have gone up as coronavirus fears sparked panic buying in Bangladesh.

“We’ve 25 per cent to 30 per cent more in stock compared to the same period last year. There is no need for panic buying,” Bangladesh’s commerce minister Tipu Munshi said on Wednesday.