KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Acute respiratory infections (ARI) killed 248 people in Afghanistan in November, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported, as the country grapples with rising infectious diseases and a struggling healthcare system.
In its monthly health update, WHO recorded 147,138 cases of ARI last month, a 24.6% increase compared with 118,000 cases recorded in October. The agency said the disease continues to pose a serious threat, particularly for children and vulnerable populations.
The report also highlighted a rise in suspected dengue fever cases, which increased 21.9% to 2,357 in November. Despite the increase, no dengue-related deaths have been recorded in Afghanistan so far in 2025.
According to the report, Measles cases also increased, with 3,721 new infections and five related deaths recorded in November, marking a 5.1% rise compared with September. WHO noted that the first phase of the nationwide measles immunization campaign has successfully reached approximately 8.3 million children aged six months to 10 years across 17 cold-climate provinces.
Meanwhile, the agency recorded declines in acute watery diarrhea (9,548 cases), malaria (4,804 cases), and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (47 cases).
Infectious diseases have been on the rise in Afghanistan in recent years, primarily due to a weakened healthcare system, reduced international aid, restrictive Taliban policies, repeated natural disasters, and the influx of returnees from neighboring countries.
Hundreds of health centers and clinics have closed amid a major funding shortfall. WHO reported that at least 442 facilities had shut down by May, largely because of the suspension of U.S. aid, leaving over three million people with limited access to healthcare.
The agency has urged the international community to increase support to help prevent a worsening public health crisis in Afghanistan.
