Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has tested positive for COVID-19 two days after receiving his first vaccine dose, government officials said on Saturday, urging people not to be deterred from getting vaccinated.
Pakistan’s vaccination roll-out has been met with widespread vaccine hesitancy, and Khan’s positive test could serve as a setback to the mass inoculation drive in the country of 220 million people, health experts said.
Khan, 68, is “self isolating at home,” Health Minister Faisal Sultan, said in a tweet, and a close aide said he had a mild cough and fever.
Senior aides stressed that he had likely been infected before he was vaccinated on Thursday.
Patient Zero Emerged October 2019
Between 622,800 to 968,800 people in Wuhan had COVID-19 by April 2020, and the first case emerged between mid-October and mid-November 2019, according to two new studies.“6·92 percent of a cross-sectional sample of the population of Wuhan developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, with 39·8 percent of this population seroconverting to have neutralising antibodies,” wrote the first research group on The Lancet on Thursday.
“Our results define the period between mid-October and mid-November 2019 as the plausible interval when the first case of SARS-CoV-2 emerged in Hubei Province,” the second research group posted on Science magazine on March 18.
The results of both research groups revealed data that was different from the Chinese regime’s disclosures.
In the past few months, people from different countries have criticized the Chinese regime for its delayed report, accusing the regime of underreporting the pandemic, leading to the CCP virus spreading to other countries.
Italy Reports 401 Deaths, 23,832 New Cases
Italy reported 401 CCP virus-related deaths on Saturday, up from 386 the day before, the health ministry said.The daily tally of new infections slipped to 23,832 from 25,735 the day before, it added. The country has registered 104,642 deaths linked to the virus since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the seventh-highest in the world.
Half of UK Adults Have Gotten One Dose of Vaccine
The UK says half of the country’s adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, a milestone in the government’s drive to reach everyone over age 18 by the end of July.Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Saturday that more people received injections on Friday than any day since the country’s vaccination program began in early December.
Germany: Anti-Lockdown Protest Turns Violent in Kassel
Several thousand people participated in a protest in Kassel on Saturday regarding measures against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19.German news agency DPA says protesters have clashed with police, with officers using pepper spray and batons against people trying to break through police barriers. There were also several scuffles with counter-protesters.
Denmark Reports 1 Death, Serious Illness, After AstraZeneca Shot
Denmark said on Saturday that one person had died and another fell seriously ill with blood clots and cerebral hemorrhage after receiving the AstraZeneca CCP virus vaccination.The two, both hospital staff members, had both received the AstraZeneca vaccine less than 14 days before getting ill, the authority that runs public hospitals in Copenhagen said.
Denmark, which halted using the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 11, was among more than a dozen countries that temporarily paused the use of the vaccine after reports of cases of rare brain blood clots sent scientists and governments scrambling to determine any link.
Idaho Legislature Shuts Down Due to Outbreak
The Idaho Legislature voted Friday to shut down for several weeks due to an outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.At least six of the 70 House members tested positive for the illness in the last week, and there are fears a highly contagious variant of COVID-19 is in the Statehouse.
All Veterans, Their Spouses, Caregivers, Eligible for Vaccines Under New Legislation
All veterans, their spouses, and caregivers will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through the Department of Veterans Affairs once doses are made available, under legislation finalized by Congress on March 19.The bipartisan legislation was introduced by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to veterans and their families under the Department of Veterans Affairs.
EU Threatens AstraZeneca With Export Ban
The European Union’s executive arm is increasing its pressure on pharmaceutical companies to speed up their vaccine delivery to the continent as virus numbers are rising again in many member countries.The European Commission said Saturday that AstraZeneca in particular could face export bans to countries outside the EU if it didn’t quickly deliver the promised amount of vaccines to the 27-nation bloc.
AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is one of three vaccines that’s approved in the EU. However, its usage has been overshadowed by several problems, including a slow start, recurring delivery problems, and a temporary ban for several days earlier this week in many of the bloc’s member countries after reports of blood clots in some recipients of the vaccine.
White House Easter Egg Roll Is Canceled for a Second Year Due to Pandemic
The White House is canceling the annual Easter Egg Roll for the second straight year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.A spokesman for first lady Jill Biden said Friday the White House will mark the holiday by sending out 2021 commemorative Easter Egg Roll eggs in the coming days to vaccination sites and local hospitals.
President Rutherford B. Hayes started the tradition in 1878.
Katabella Robers, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
