Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza has confirmed on Wednesday that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s coronavirus tests results show that he is not infected with the pathogen.
SAPM Mirza shared the announcement on his Twitter account. He wrote:
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Minister for information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan also shared the information through a tweet in which she wrote that PM was tested for SARS-CoV-2 pathogen and the results returned as negative.
PM’s personal physician Dr Faisal Sultan announced earlier that PM Imran’s sample has been taken to a diagnostic lab to determine whether he has the coronavirus or not. He said the results would be received in a few hours and announced through “official channels”.
He had said at the time, “I am happy to announce that the prime minister, being a responsible prime minister and a responsible citizen, has agreed to get tested on my advice.”
That same night, Awan had also confirmed that the premier will be tested for the coronavirus.
“Samples for his test will be collected from the Prime Minister Office tomorrow (Wednesday),” Awan said.
She also said that the premier’s office “is disinfected daily”.
“There are meetings held there all the time so we are particular about disinfecting the premises,” she said.
She said that the prime minister and his family had previously been tested and were cleared.
“Who else was [possibly] affected following Faisal Edhi’s visit remains to be determined and for which everyone must be tested,” said Awan.
“Faisal Edhi did not have a lengthy conversation with the prime minister. He only handed over a cheque,” she added.
Fears of the PM contracting the coronavirus emerged after Faisal Edhi, the head of one of Pakistan’s largest charity groups, the Edhi Foundation, tested positive for coronavirus. He had met the PM in Islamabad shortly before being tested positive.
Edhi had traveled to Lahore and then to Islamabad last week, where he met Prime Minister Imran Khan and donated a Rs10 million check on behalf of his organisation.
