Shafqat Mehmood tests positive for COVID-19 again

• Mehmood had tested positive last year in May as well.
• Says he is having mild symptoms. 
• Urges masses to follow coronavirus standard operating procedures.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood announced on Thursday that he has once again tested positive for COVID-19.

In a tweet, the education minister stated that he was feeling mild symptoms at the moment, and that he hoped to recover soon with some rest.

“I have unfortunately tested positive for coronavirus. My symptoms are mild so far and I feel fine. Hopefully with some rest will recover soon,” he wrote.

He urged people to continue to take all precautions, especially wearing a mask at all times.

The education minister had earlier tested positive for COVID-19 in May 2021.

It is pertinent to mention here that the meeting of education ministers from across Pakistan scheduled for today, which was to be chaired by Mehmood, was put off for later.

In the last 24 hours, Pakistan reported more than 3,000 coronavirus cases for the first time since September 15, 2021, the National Command and Operations Centre's (NCOC) data showed Thursday morning.

The NCOC data showed that the country registered 3,019 more cases in the last 24 hours, taking the overall infections' tally to 1.31 million. The positivity ratio has reached 6.12% — the highest in more than four months, as the infection rate was last above it on September 8, 2021.