August 9, 2021
2 mins read

Pakistan retained in UK travel red list

The UK health official said the current trajectory of the pandemic in Pakistan is also of particular concern…reports Asian Lite News.

The UK health official said the current trajectory of the pandemic in Pakistan is also of particular concern…reports Asian Lite

The British Government has retained Pakistan on the ‘red list’ of its travel advisory due to the ‘deteriorating Covid situation’ in the country.

UK senior health official JO Churchill, in a letter dated August 6 explained the reasons for keeping Pakistan on the red list of countries, reported The Express Tribune.

She said that UK’s Joint Biosecurity Centre continues to assess risk based on factors including incidence, trends in deaths/hospitalisations, exported cases as well as testing and test positivity rates.

Her response comes after Pakistan was retained in the red list of countries at the latest coronavirus travel update while India was removed from it, reported The Express Tribune.

The British government placed Pakistan and India on the red list on April 2 and 19, respectively. However, in an updated list, the government announced that India, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE would be moved to the amber list from August 8.

“In Pakistan, the combination of a deteriorating epidemiological situation, combined with low testing rates and limited genomic surveillance, presents a high risk that an outbreak of a new variant, or existing VoC [variant of concern], will not be identified before it is imported to the UK,” she said in a letter.

The UK health official said the current trajectory of the pandemic in Pakistan is also of particular concern.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDe4cvYyySc

“In the past seven days, the incidence of cases in Pakistan has increased by 87 per cent on the previous week (19 – 25 July). The incidence of deaths has increased by 75 per cent in that same period. Test positivity is high and rising, growing from 5.6 per cent on July 26 to 7.9 per cent on August 3,” read the letter.

Major cities like Karachi have reported positivity rates of up to 20 per cent, she added.

The red list of the countries means only the UK nationals and those with residency rights will be allowed to travel to the country if they stayed in Pakistan for the ten days before they arrive. The amber travel list means that returnees can quarantine at home, rather than in a hotel. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Pakistan Draws Flak For Funding Taliban

READ MORE-UK Urged to protect Pakistani Dissidents

Previous Story

Oxford vax designer Sarah Gilbert honoured with Barbie

Next Story

Putin, Blinken others to attend Modi’s UNSC debate

Latest from -Top News

Hasina’s Defiant Words Before Ouster

Reportedly before leaving Hasina wanted to record a farewell speech to be aired on television, but military officials declined….reports Asian Lite News Following a violent student uprising last year, the Bangladeshi military

US Lawmakers Push AI Watchdog on China

The lawmakers stressed that “there is a strong national security need for better understanding, predicting, and preparing for the PRC’s AI progress…reports Asian Lite News Chairman John Moolenaar and Ranking Member Raja

Trump’s 51st State Pitch to Canada

The development follows a meeting between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on May 6, where Trump praised Carney’s political success….reports Asian Lite News US President Donald Trump claimed that he

Azhar Acquittal Sparks Outrage in Bangladesh

Jailed for nearly 13 years for war crimes, Azharul was received by party leaders and activists at the jail gate by his radical supporters….reports Asian Lite News Once accused of committing crimes

Trump Warns Putin: ‘Playing with Fire’

Trump on Sunday made harsh remarks on both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky…reports Asian Lite News US President Donald Trump warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that he is “playing with fire”
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Pakistan delays ‘constitutional package’ amid lack of consensus

Despite claims of having sufficient support for the constitutional amendments,

KASHMIR: PAKISTAN NEGLECTS WHAT IT CONTROLS

A study by two US-based Pakistani scholars points to the