ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan may be facing another health risk after an employee of Corona Care Hospital of Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in Rawalpindi tested positive for coronavirus on the same day the former visited the hospital.
Khaleeq Abbasi, who works at the Logistics Department, had been deputed at the hospital to take care of the logistics.
“Abbasi was not feeling well for quite a few days. He tested for coronavirus on Monday which came positive on Wednesday,” a source told Pakistan Today. “After being tested positive, Abbasi has been directed by the PRC management to self-isolate,” sources said, adding that as a follow-up measure, the PRC management has isolated the entire logistics department. Their samples along with a number of other persons have been sent for testing.
According to the source, Abbasi had been involved in logistics provision for the prime minister’s visit along with other staff.
According to a press statement issued by the PM House, PRCS Chairman Abrarul Haq had briefed the prime minister in detail on the measures taken by the organisation in the wake of situation arising out of Covid-19 outbreak and the facilities at the hospital.
The visit may have exposed not only the prime minister but the whole delegation to the deadly virus as in a video released by the PM House, all the members of the delegation including the prime minister, can be seen sitting without any specific protective measures.
Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, PM’s special assistants Dr Sania Nishtar, Dr Zafar Mirza and Member National Assembly Amir Mehmood Kiyani had accompanied him during the visits.
It is worth mentioning here that the prime minister has already undergone testing after a meeting with Faisal Edhi at the PM House, who had later turned positive for coronavirus.
When asked, PRC spokesman Rehal Ali confirmed that Khaleeq Abbasi had tested positive the same day the prime minister visited the PRCS’s Corona Care Hospital.
“Actually, Abbasi’s test sample had been sent on Monday and the confirmation came on Wednesday,” said the spokesman, adding that Abbasi and all other staff members had been isolated at their homes as a safety measure.
“We have tracked back around 10 people who had been in contact with Abbasi and isolated them at their homes. Their samples have been taken and sent for tests,” he added.
To a question on safety measures taken at the hospital as well as PRCS national headquarters after the incident, the spokesperson said all measures identified by the National Institute of Health (NIH) were being followed.
