ISLAMABAD July 14 (DNA) : Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Tuesday that he has been discharged from a hospital after recovery from the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

In a statement, he expressed gratitude to all those who sent well wishes and prayed for his swift recovery.

Qureshi said he had called off all meetings after he showed symptoms and went for a test without delay, which turned out to be positive. He added his health condition began improving after his treatment started immediately after the diagnosis.

He said blood plasma of recovered Covid-19 patients was transfused into his body and thanked the Rawalpindi military hospital’s staff for taking his care. “I have returned home and am feeling better,” he said, hoping his second test will be declared negative.

FM Qureshi called on the countrymen not to fret about the highly contagious disease and take precautionary measures to keep the virus at bay. He advised them to check with medics if they show Covid-19 symptoms.

On July 3, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The foreign minister, in a Twitter post, said that he underwent the test after feeling a slight fever this afternoon. FM Qureshi maintained that he quarantined himself at his home after his test reports for the virus came out positive.