Pakistan President Arif Alvi, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak test positive for Covid-19

Pakistan President Dr Arif Alvi and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak have tested positive for Covid-19, it emerged on Monday, nearly a week after Prime Minister Imran Khan had contracted the disease.

"I have tested positive for Covid-19. May Allah have mercy on all Covid-affected. Had first dose of the vaccine but antibodies start developing after second dose that was due in a week. Please continue to be careful," the president tweeted on Monday.

The exact date when Alvi, 71, contracted the disease or the day of detection was not made public.

Later, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail tweeted that Defence Minister Perwaiz Khattak, 71, had also tested positive for the virus. "Perwaiz Khatak is diagnosed with Covid positive. Get well soon PK," Ismail wrote.

Pakistan is in the grip of a third wave of the coronavirus. The government has decided to impose fresh restrictions on social gatherings from April 5, with steady rise in cases and low supply of vaccines.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, 68, tested positive for the coronavirus on March 20. His wife Bushra Bibi also tested coronavirus positive the same day.

The coronavirus has claimed 14,256 lives, along with 659,116 confirmed infections in Pakistan so far.