According to latest figures provided by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), the total number of coronavirus cases has raised to 12,456 in Afghanistan with 625 people tested positive for the covid-19 over past 24 hours across the country.
In a joint press conference held today, May 27, Afghan officials from three different government institutions working to contain the coronavirus have warned of a possible catastrophe if the people continue to disobey the lockdown placed in major cities, mainly in the capital Kabul.
Speaking at the conference, the deputy health minister, Waheed Majroh, said that the health ministry has received 5,000 GeneExpert testing machines. He said that the machine is capable of completing the testing process within an hour. According to Mr. Majroh, the testing machines will be used for testing health workers who suspiciously fall ill with the covid-19 pandemic.
He added that they will also further the capacity of PCR tests in an attempt to conduct around 2,500 tests on daily basis.
Kabul governor, Mohammad Yaqub Haidari, urged the people through the conference to keep social distance and stay at home, otherwise Kabul streets will be filled with dead bodies of covid-19 patients. He further warned that if the shops and markets hesitate to observe guidelines developed by the health ministry, they will be closed by the government.
Abdul Mannan Shewayee Sharq, deputy minister of information and culture, also raised the same concern during the press conference and warned of a possible catastrophe in the country.
A total of 1,138 patients, infected by the virus, have recovered and 227 others have died of the covid-19 pandemic, according to the health ministry.
