American embassy staffer tests Covid-19 positive

Sources say the American chargé d’affaires has informed the staff of the development via an email

ISLAMABAD: A senior diplomat of the American embassy has been identified to be infected with the novel coronavirus, which soared past over 85,000 across the country on Thursday.

According to sources, the Covid-19 case surfaced on Tuesday. The American chargé d’affaires has informed the staff of the development via an email.

In a statement, the embassy's spokesman said that while maintaining the privacy, the name of microbe infected citizen would not be disclosed. The US State Department is responsible to protect its citizens, wherever they are, the spokesman added.

In coordination with the Pakistani authorities, the consulate is working to enforce the coronavirus protocol in order to stem its spread. The spokesman added that isolation wards, contact tracing and quarantine facility are part of such protocols.

The government recently announced further easing in the lockdown by allowing public transport and markets to open. But the authorities also warned the people against violating standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The other day, the information minister warned of re-imposing the lockdown if people flouted the SOPs designed to reverse the trajectory of increasing virus cases.