LAHORE: Punjab health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and she has isolated herself.
According to the provincial health department, after Covid test positive report Punjab Health Minister has isolated herself at home.
In the Punjab province, Delta and Omicron variants of Covid-19 have started spreading rapidly.
About 86% of the new cases recorded in Lahore are of the new strain, Omicron. On Tuesday, 24 new Omicron cases were reported in the city which raised the positivity rate to 4%.
Last week, Dr Yasmin Rashid said the Punjab government has imposed an emergency at all major hospitals across the province. Minister further said that if people stop taking precautionary measures such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, a new outbreak is imminent in the province.
The government has forewarned the people about the beginning of the 5th wave of the coronavirus. SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan has said that from November 15 to December, the positivity rate was below 1% (around 0.7, 0.8) but in the last four days it has risen and according to statistics from Sunday, it is at 1.5%.
The rate is not too high but it is an alarming situation for Pakistan because there is no doubt that the fifth wave has started and it is directly linked with the new variant Omicron, he added.
