PM Imran Khan to be tested for coronavirus today

By
Ayaz Akbar Yousafzai
Prime Minister Imran Khan. Photo: File

  • Sources say officials from NIH will take samples of the PM and the coronavirus report will be available in the next six to eight hours.
  • The COVID-19 test will be done under the supervision of SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan. 
  • PM Imran Khan had tested positive for coronavirus on March 20 and has been isolating at home.


ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will be tested for coronavirus today, sources told Geo News on Tuesday.

The sources said that officials from the National Institute of Health will take samples of the PM and the report will be available in the next six to eight hours.

Read more: PM Imran Khan recovering from COVID-19, may resume work soon

Officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the test will be done under the supervision of Special Assistant to PM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan.

If the PM’s test result comes negative, he will chair the cabinet meeting in person on Thursday. Otherwise he will do it via video link.

Prime Minister Imran Khan contracts COVID-19

On March 20, Dr Faisal Sultan announced that the premier had tested positive for COVID-19 and was isolating at home.

The PM Office, too, confirmed on Twitter that PM Khan had tested positive for coronavirus with a short dua from the Quran.

His wife, Pakistan's First Lady Bushra Bibi also tested positive.

The premier had received a coronavirus shot two days before he tested positive, the Prime Minister's Office had said. 

Doctors said the vaccine did not have enough time to be effective and that PM Imran Khan may have contracted the virus a few days prior to developing symptoms for it.

Read more: PM Imran Khan gets vaccinated for coronavirus

After receiving the jab, the prime minister had appealed to the people to continue exercising precaution in view of the third wave of the pandemic.