Pakistani Prime Minister Tests Positive for Covid-19 After Vaccination

According to Reuters news agency, the above information was provided by the Minister of Health.PakistanFaisal Sultan confirmed the news on Twitter, saying Prime Minister Khan is now “self-isolating at home”.

Mr Khan had a mild cough and fever, senior aides said, adding that the 68-year-old leader was likely infected with the virus before he was vaccinated on March 18.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. Photo: Reuters

After being diagnosed with Covid-19, the Pakistani prime minister expressed concern that this could discourage people from getting vaccinated, said Shahbaz Gill, a senior adviser to Mr Khan.

"Please do not connect this incident to the Covid-19 vaccine. It takes a few weeks after vaccination for you to develop immunity," Shahbaz Gill noted.

According to Pakistan's Information Minister Shibli Faraz, Mr Khan likely contracted the virus after participating in a series of public events this week. The Pakistani prime minister often does not wear a mask when appearing at crowded events.

The number of infections in Pakistan has continued to increase sharply in recent days. According to data released by the Pakistani Government, 3,876 people tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, the highest since early July last year.

As of March 20, the total number of Covid-19 infections in Pakistan has exceeded 620,000, including nearly 13,800 deaths.