Pak PM Imran Khan tests positive for COVID-19, days after taking Chinese vaccine

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, 67, tested positive for the COVID-19 on Saturday, two days after he took the first shot of a vaccine developed by China.

PM Imran Khan has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating at home, Dr Faisal Sultan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination tweeted. Pakistan Prime Minister's Office also confirmed the same in a tweet.

Khan is experiencing mild symptoms and will continue working from home. "Prime Minister Imran Khan tests positive for coronavirus, is experiencing 'mild symptoms'. He will self-quarantine at home however will continue to work from home over video conference," Pakistani Senator Faisal Javed tweeted.

Khan was vaccinated as part of the nationwide anti-coronavirus vaccination campaign which is underway in its first phase. He took the first dose of the Chinese coronavirus vaccine Sinopharm, which becomes effective after two successful doses.

Pakistan's Ministry of National Health Services has issued a statement saying Imran Khan was not fully vaccinated when he contracted the virus.

Pak ministry, while asserting that vaccines work against disease, tweeted, "He (Imran Khan) only got the first dose and merely two days ago, which is too soon for any vaccine to become effective. Antibodies develop two-three weeks after the second dose of two-dose COVID vaccines."

China donated 5 lakh doses of the Sinopharm vaccine to Pakistan on February 1, which enabled Pakistan to start its COVID-19 vaccination drive. Khan received his first COVID vaccine shot after its second consignment was delivered from China to Pakistan on March 17.

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