Pakistan Foreign Minister to quarantine himself after returning from China

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said on March 18 that he will self-isolate and will remain quarantined for five days before going through the necessary tests for the COVID-19 on returning from the virus-hit country, China. The deadly coronavirus, which had originated in the Chinese province of Wuhan not only took a toll on the mainland but has now spread to over 165 countries with at least 247 reported cases in Pakistan. 

While the United States has repeatedly condemned China for its handling of the pandemic, Pakistan’s President Arif Alif and Qureshi had visited the mainland to show solidarity in their hour of need. Alvi had posted about the recently concluded visit to China and reportedly gave impetus to the deadly coronavirus outbreak along with the possible measures to combat it. However, recent reports have suggested that the situation in China which was severe when the COVID-19 was first discovered in December 2019, is now slowly coming back to normal. 

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Pakistani Foreign Minister reportedly said that before going for the two-day visit, they were tested by the National Insitute of Health and were declared clear of virus infection. Moreover, immediately on landing in China, further tests were conducted including a blood panel, after which the meetings were arranged between the leaders. Qureshi has still decided to self-isolate himself as an additional precautionary measure as the novel virus takes at least 14 days to show symptoms. 

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China eases travel restrictions

As the number of coronavirus cases in China is going down, life is slowly returning to normal in the disease-hit country. According to reports, workers are gradually returning to their jobs and Hubei residents who were stranded in other parts of the country are going home after travel restrictions were eased for the first time in two months. China's health commission said that the peak in coronavirus epidemic in the country has passed and authorities have allowed some industries to resume production in two cities of Hubei province. 

As per reports, schools, colleges, and public spaces are starting to reopen in various parts of the country and there is at last relief for medical workers after a hectic three-months of hard work. Chinese state media reported that 12,028 quarantine stations that were set-up on highways have been removed and the roads have been reopened for inter-provincial travel.

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