NGO head who met Pakistan PM tests positive for virus

KARACHI, Pakistan

The head of Pakistan's top non-governmental relief agency, who met Prime Minister Imran Khan last week, has tested positive for the coronavirus, his family said on Tuesday.

Faisal Edhi, the head of Edhi Foundation, founded by his father -- renowned social worker, Abdul Sattar Edhi -- met Khan last Wednesday to give away a check of Rs 10 million ($61,162) for the government's coronavirus relief fund in capital Islamabad.

"Faisal Edhi is currently in Islamabad, and has gone into self-isolation," Saad Edhi, his son, and a spokesman for Edhi Foundation told Anadolu Agency.

"The test was conducted two days ago, though there were no obvious symptoms," he added.

There was no immediate response from the Prime Minister House if or not Khan would be tested.

Rising cases

Pakistan on Tuesday reported around 349 new coronavirus cases. The Health Ministry said the total number of cases climbed to 9,565.

Most of the new cases were confirmed in the southern Sindh and northeastern Punjab provinces.

The ministry also confirmed that the countrywide death toll has rose to 192, while the number of recoveries climbed to 2,073.

After originating in Wuhan, China last December, COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has spread to at least 185 countries and regions worldwide, with Europe and the U.S. the worst-hit regions.

There are more than 2.53 million cases worldwide and over 174,300 deaths. More than 669,000 have recovered from the virus, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

Despite the severity of the virus, most people experience mild symptoms and recover in due time.