COVID-19: Pak airports unable to meet UAE's rapid PCR test requirement

Pakistan's airports are unable to meet the UAE's requirement of a rapid PCR test four hours prior to departure, Gulf News reported citing Pakistan civil aviation authority (PCAA) letter.

In a letter, the authority said that the relevant health authorities do not have a rapid PCR testing facility available at the airports - as a consequence, airline operators have been unable to board passengers on flights to Dubai.

"Our health authorities do not have the resources to conduct rapid PCR tests in Pakistan and only rapid antigen testing is being used as a method of testing for arriving passengers at Pakistani airports," the letter read.

Earlier on Friday, more than 300 passengers from Islamabad and 70 passengers from Karachi were barred from boarding a flight to Dubai due to the non-availability of rapid PCR tests at the airports, Geo News reported.

The publication further stated that last week, UAE's disaster management authority stated that travel for certain categories of passengers from Pakistan was to resume on August 5, and these passengers will be obligated to submit a prior PCR test within 48 hours from the date of departure.

The coronavirus situation in Pakistan seems to be worsening as the positivity rate jumped over 8 per cent on Sunday.

According to Geo News, the country has reported 4,455 new COVID-19 infections over the last 24 hours with 8.09 per cent positivity rate.

So far, the country has reported 10,67,580 COVID-19 cases and 23,865 deaths.

( With inputs from ANI )

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