ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he has decided to isolate himself after returning from his two-day trip to China, as a precaution for a few days due to the coronavirus.

The minister spoke to media Wednesday morning after returning from his trip to Beijing. President Arif Alvi and MNA Asad Umar were among others on the same trip.

The Pakistani government has advised that everyone coming from abroad self-isolate in case they have contracted the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Before leaving we did a swab test here and when we landed the Chinese officials took a blood test, he said. They both came back negative and they took another blood test after the meeting (with President Xi Jinping) and the results haven’t come back yet, said the minister.

However, he decided to isolate himself as a precaution for a few days. My only interactions are over the phone, he said. Qureshi said he will undergo another swab test within five days. “I am going to follow protocol,” he said.