Zartaj Gul gives novel definition of COVID-19

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul Wazir had social media in stitches after she provided a novel definition of COVID-19. “COVID-19 means that it has 19 points that can be applied in any country in any way,” she said during a current affairs show on state-run TV show. Actually, COVID-19 means ‘coronavirus disease 2019’. The ‘CO’ in the word stands for corona, ‘VI’ for virus and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as ‘2019 novel coronavirus’ or ‘2019-nCoV.’ Gul’s novel definition of the virus stirred a storm on social media, with Twitterati posting her video clip defining the disease and taking shots at the minister for not knowing enough about it.

The minister took to Twitter a few hours after her video clip started trending on social media, to issue a clarification.

“Every day I appear on national TV and speak without a piece of paper (parchi),” she tweeted. “Wanted to say that the infections effect and intensity varies across different countries. Instead of crying on the situation over a minor mistake, maybe that will be better for them. I am not afraid of criticism, it strengthens me.”