28 passengers arriving from Bahrain test positive for COVID-19 at Peshawar airport

28 passengers arriving from Bahrain test positive for COVID-19 at the Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar on Tuesday.

According to the airport’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Obaid-ur-Rehman Abbasi, rapid antigen tests were conducted on 130 passengers who arrived at the airport from Bahrain.

“The passengers who tested positive for the virus have been handed over to the district administration,” he said,

Following the development, various areas of the airport had also been disinfected, he added.

However, in an email to Oyeyeah, the National Communication Centre of the Kingdom of Bahrain stated: 

“We wish to clarify that only one of the passengers who had a positive rapid test result originated from Bahrain. The other 27 were transit passengers who commenced their travel from outside the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

“Given that only one passenger was either from Bahrain or commenced their journey in the Kingdom,” the statement added.

A day earlier an airline had flown in 24 passengers, who had tested positive for coronavirus, from Dubai to Peshawar.

Over the negligence, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) revoked the license of a private airline for violating coronavirus SOPs set by the government.

CAA spokesperson Saad bin Ayub had said that the airline was ignoring coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) despite warnings.

It was just a week ago when Pakistan had allowed airlines to operate an additional 30% of flights in a revised policy.