Pakistan on Friday has detected the first confirmed case of a COVID-19 variant first identified in India, the federal health ministry said on Friday.

A spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Health, said in a statement that the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad shared results of whole-genome sequencing of SARS CoV-2 samples collected during the first three weeks of May 2021.
"The sequencing results confirmed detection of seven cases of B.1.351 (South African variant) and one case of B.1.617.2 (Indian variant). This is the first in-country detection of the latter strain," the statement said.
The health ministry said this was the first case of its kind in Pakistan.
Ministry further said that according to the protocols, the field epidemiology and disease surveillance division and the district health administration of Islamabad are conducting contact tracing of all positive cases.
He said that following the continuous reports of strains emerging globally, the need for guidelines, use of masks and vaccination is becoming apparent.
The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this month named B.1.617.2 (Indian variant) a globally worrying variant.
To prevent the spread of the B.1.617 variant in Pakistan, the NCOC had last month placed India in the category C list, banning entry of passengers from the country through air and land routes.
The WHO had said that B.1.617.2 was first reported in India last year while the first type of identification was made in October 2020.
The virus later spread to other countries and several governments around the world restricted movement with India.

Federal govt debt reaches all-time high in Pakistan’s history
- 11 گھنٹے قبل

Maple Leafs trade Marner to Knights, sources say
- 10 گھنٹے قبل

Drugs worth over Rs9mn seized in anti-smuggling operations
- 12 گھنٹے قبل

Rookie Bueckers, Ogwumike named ASG starters
- 10 گھنٹے قبل
Firing in Bannu leaves jirga member killed, three wounded
- 7 گھنٹے قبل

Microsoft to shut down office in Pakistan, lay off 5 employees
- 12 گھنٹے قبل

CTD foils major attack in Taunsa Sharif; Five terrorists eliminated
- 12 گھنٹے قبل

Crackdown in Punjab against illegal possession of lions, 4 people arrested
- 11 گھنٹے قبل

Martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain to be solemnly observed tomorrow
- 5 گھنٹے قبل

Muharram 9 central processions underway in major cities
- 10 گھنٹے قبل
PM Shehbaz, President Erdogan, President Ilham camaraderie manifests close, fraternal ties
- 8 گھنٹے قبل

Mobile phone service starts shutting down in Karachi
- 11 گھنٹے قبل