Health

Pakistan’s president tests positive for Covid-19

Islamabad, Mar 29 (efe-epa).- Pakistan’s president Arif Alvi on Monday announced he had contracted coronavirus, two weeks after receiving the first dose of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine as a third wave of infections hits the south Asian country.

“I have tested positive for Covid-19. May Allah have mercy on all Covid affectees,” he posted on Twitter.

The president said he had been given the first dose of the vaccine on 15 March, but has not yet been fully immunized.

Alvi stressed the importance of getting vaccinated amid a strong anti-vaccine movement in the country.

Prime Minister Imran Khan announced on 20 March that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, two days after being given the first dose of the vaccine.

Pakistan tightened restrictions Monday amid a fresh Covid-19 wave that is turning out to be worse than the previous two in a country battling an inordinate delay in anti-coronavirus vaccines.

The country of 220 million people has banned social, cultural, political, and sporting events from Monday after a surge in daily infections and deaths.

The health authorities said they detected 4,525 infections and 41 deaths in the last 24 hours across the country, most of them from the capital Islamabad.

The overall tally has now reached 659,116 infections, including 14,256 deaths since the pandemic began early last year.

The government has also limited the capacity of public transport services and restaurant seating capacity to 30 percent.

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