Cricket-legend Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, tested positive for COVID-19 — two days after receiving his first vaccine dose, officials announced.
The 68-year-old leader, “with a mild cough and fever, was in good health,” said his special healthcare assistant, Dr Faisal Sultan, at his home when he announced his infection on Saturday.
Sultan also announced Sunday the premiere’s wife and two senior members of his Tehreek-e-Insaf (Justice) Party.
Imran Khan, who attended regular meetings without wearing a mask, had just been shot for his first vaccine on Thursday.
Key members of his administration urged the public to remain vaccinated, fearing that news of the leader’s disease would only raise widespread hesitation over the shot in Pakistan.
“The symptoms take a couple of days to manifest. Therefore, it is true that the PM was infected with vaccination PRIOR, “Asad Umar, the minister responsible for COVID-19 activities in the country, said in a tweet.
“So do vaccinate, please,” he wrote.
While it was not announced which Imran Khan vaccine was given, the shot was manufactured in Pakistan by China’s National Pharmaceutical Group — Sinopharm.
According to the Associated Press, a private Pakistani pharmaceutical company has imported 50,000 doses of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V.
In COVID-19, Pakistan saw a spike in the capital as well as in the eastern and northern areas. Sunday, authorities reported 44 new deaths and 3,667 new infections confirmed.
Overall, nearly 14,000 people were killed and over 626,000 infected by the virus in Pakistan.
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