Pakistan President Arif Alvi & Defence Min Pervez Khattak test positive for coronavirus

In a key development on Monday, Pakistan President Dr. Arif Alvi announced that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Just like Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Alvi too contracted the virus after taking the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Taking to Twitter, he asserted that antibodies start developing only after taking the second dose of vaccine that was due in a week's time. 

Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail divulged that Pakistan Defence Minister Pervez Khattak has also been diagnosed with COVID-19. Incidentally, both Alvi and Khattak attended the Pakistan Day Parade just a few days ago where they were seen in close proximity of the country's Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. Till now, Pakistan has recorded 6,59,135 confirmed novel coronavirus cases out of which 5,98,197 patients have recovered while 14,256 fatalities have been reported.

Pakistan to receive COVISHIELD vaccine

Pakistan will receive 16 million doses of COVISHIELD through the COVAX route after it refused to directly procure Indian-made novel coronavirus vaccines. India has reportedly committed 100 lakh doses of vaccines to COVAX, a global initiative that aims at ensuring that middle and lower-income countries get timely access to COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccine doses will be provided free of cost to Pakistan. This information was revealed by the chairman of Pakistan Lower House's Public Accounts Committee.

He also mentioned that the first batch of the vaccine is expected by mid-March while the rest of it might arrive by June. So far, the Imran Khan-led government has approved China's Sinopharm vaccine, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and Russia's Sputnik-V for emergency use. On March 17, Pakistan received the second consignment of half a billion Sinopharm vaccines donated by China. Currently, the country is vaccinating frontline health workers and people above the age of 60 years. 

Witnessing the third wave of COVID-19 with over 4,000 cases being recorded for four days in a row, Pakistan has imposed fresh restrictions. For instance, there will be a ban on gatherings including wedding ceremonies in cities and districts where the COVID-19 test positive rate is above 8 per cent from April 5. Urging people to follow the COVID-19 norms, Imran Khan highlighted that the third wave of the virus is more intense than the first two waves.