Pakistan PM Imran Khan tests positive for coronavirus

He was struck down with deadly bug two days after being vaccinated

Pakistan Politics (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan has tested positive for coronavirus, the country's health minister revealed on Saturday morning.

The 68-year-old was struck down just two days after receiving his vaccination, and is now self-isolating at home, Faisal Sultan said in a tweet.

No more details were released but fears were immediately raised about the sheer number of people Mr Khan had been in contact with over the last few days.

The former cricketing legend has been holding regular and frequent meetings lately, including speaking at a large security conference in capital Islamabad where he addressed attendees without wearing a mask.

Only on Friday, he attended the inauguration of a housing project for poor people where he was also seen without a face covering.

News of his diagnosis comes as the South Asian nation of 220 million experiences a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections despite its inoculation roll out.

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On Friday, the country recorded 3,86 positive cases - the highest number since December. Deaths rose by 42 to a total 13,799.

Most of the new cases came from Pakistan’s largest and richest province, Punjab, according to reports by the Reuters news agency.

The region was placed into a third lockdown earlier this month with schools closed and masks made mandatory but government minister Asad Umar said hospital beds were still filling fast, and warned of stricter curbs if current rules were not followed.

“The new strain [first found in Britain] spreads faster and is more deadly,” he said on Twitter.

The country began its vaccination programme six weeks ago but it has gone without problems. Many front line health workers declined to have the jab quoting fears about using a Chinese vaccine which has been donated to the country.