Three Pakistanis returning from Afghanistan contract Covid-19

PESHAWAR: Focal person of the health department at Torkham border Abdul Qadir said that three Pakistan nationals returned from Afghanistan have been detected corona positive at Torkham border

Talking to reporters on Sunday, Abdul Qadir said that three Pakistani citizens who returned from Kabul were detected Covid-19 positive after their Rapid Antigen Test (RATs) were conducted.

The affected who were identified as Muhammad Shahid, Muhammad Zeshan and Zaheer Akhtar, hailing from Gujranwala, Punjab were shifted to quarantine center Landi Kotal, the official said.

Since the last three days when the fresh test Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) for Kabul returned, Pakistani nationals have been introduced at the western border, a total of 721 RAT tests have been carried out among which six have been detected corona positive, the health official informed.

It is to be stated here that last week, the government with immediate effect ordered the conducting of RAT of every single Pakistan nationals who crossed into the country to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

A day earlier, An Afghanistan returned, Pakistan citizen has been identified corona positive here at Torkham border. Health official deployed at Torkham border said on Saturday that during examination process of Pakistan national, returned from Afghanistan at the border, a lab test of one, Abdullah s/o Zor Muhammad resident of Karamna, Landi Kotal was carried out.

According to the lab test result the mentioned Pakistani who was a labor was confirmed Covid-19 affected, he added.

The patient was shifted to the quarantine center; headquarter hospital, Landi Kotal, the official said. It is worth mentioning here that fearing import of corona virus in the country from Afghanistan, the government has sealed the Pak-Afghan border, Torkham for entry of non-Pakistani passengers, however Pakistani citizens having passport will be left to cross into the country and conducting corona tests of Pakistanis have been made compulsory at the border.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021