Pakistan’s health and foreign ministers test positive for COVID-19

Pakistan’s Minister of State for Health Zafar Mirza tested positive for the coronavirus, the latest high profile government minister to contract the virus.

Foreign Minister Moahmood Qureshi announced Friday that he too tested positive for the virus.

The two men say their symptoms are mild. In a tweet on Monday, Mirza said he is self-isolating.

Pakistan has recorded 231,813 infections and 4,762 deaths. Prime Minister Imran Khan has refused to impose strict lockdowns, easing many restrictions, but ordering people to wear masks and social distance, though most people, especially among the poor and in the congested cities are not able to keep their distance.

The government has sealed hundreds of markets throughout the country where large numbers of infections have been discovered.

-Agencies