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Pakistani foreign minister tests positive for COVID-19

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday tested positive for the novel coronavirus. 'This afternoon I felt a slight fever and immediately quarantined myself at home. I have now tested positive for Covid 19. By the grace of Allah, I feel strong and energetic," Qureshi said on Twitter.

Reuters WORLD
Published July 03,2020
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Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Friday he had tested positive for COVID-19, days after holding high profile meetings including one with U.S. special representative on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad.

"This afternoon I felt a slight fever and immediately quarantined myself at home," Qureshi said on Twitter. He said he felt healthy and would carry on his duties from home.

In the last few days, Qureshi has had contact with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in parliament and in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Qureshi also met Khalilzad on Wednesday when the U.S. special representative travelled to Pakistan to discuss progress on the Afghan peace process.

Pictures released from those meetings showed Qureshi and others wearing face masks.

Pakistan has reported 221,896 cases of the coronavirus and 4,451 deaths. The country has continued to see around 4,000 new cases on a daily basis, despite daily testing numbers falling.

A number of high officials have tested positive for COVID-19 in Pakistan, including Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed and the speaker of the lower house of parliament, Asad Qaiser.