Pakistani Prime Minister, cricket legend Imran Khan has tested positive for COVID-19, two days after receiving the first dose of vaccine, officials announced.
The 68-year-old leader was in “good health” with a mild cough and fever and was isolated at home, according to his special health aide, Dr Faisal Sultan. announcing the infection on Saturday.
The prime minister’s wife and two senior members of his Tehreek-e-Insaf (Justice) party also tested positive, the Sultan announced on Sunday.
Khan, who regularly attended meetings without a mask, had just received the first vaccine on Thursday.
Key members of his administration urged citizens to continue vaccinating for fear that news of the leader’s illness would only increase widespread hesitation in Pakistan over the shootings.
“The symptoms take a few days to manifest. Therefore, it is certain that the prime minister had been infected before the vaccination, “Asad Umar, the minister responsible for COVID-19 operations in the country, said in a tweet.
“So get vaccinated,” he wrote.
Although no vaccine was given to Khan, the shot produced by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) is the only one officially available in Pakistan.
According to the Associated Press, a private Pakistani pharmaceutical company has imported 50,000 doses of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V
Pakistan has seen a worrying increase in COVID-19 cases in the capital and in the eastern and northern areas. Authorities reported 44 new deaths and 3,667 new confirmed infections on Sunday.
Overall, the virus has killed about 14,000 people in Pakistan and infected more than 626,000.
With mail cables