BALACOT, Pakistan, Oct. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has sent its first team to the northern Pakistani city of Balacot to assess the epidemic situation in the area after the earthquake on Oct. 8.

    WHO short-term consultant, Dr. Samiullah, told Xinhua on Sundaythat a two-member WHO team arrived in Balacot on Saturday and 10 more experts would join them in a week.

    So far, according to Dr. Samiullah, the WHO has not received reports of confirmed epidemic cases in the Balacot area, adding that their information resources had been the multinational reliefteams and the local administration.

    He said that WHO had no laboratory on the spot and that sampleswere therefore transferred to Islamabad for further tests. Enditem