After the confirmation of at least four more positive cases of coronavirus in Afghanistan, the country’s government on Saturday announced a ban on public gatherings, including Nowruz celebrations, and the closure of all educational institutions until mid-April.
The government said in a statement on Saturday the proposal was jointly made by the ministries of public health, education, higher education, information and culture. It was approved by President Ashraf Ghani, his spokesman said on Twitter.
The government also announced that all huge public events have been suspended until a further notice to minimize the possibility of the spread of the novel virus.
Waheed Omer, the president’s senior advisor for public and strategic affairs, announced on Twitter that Nowruz celebrations including major ones in Mazar-i-Sharif city and Kabul’s Kart-e-Sakhi area were cancelled.
He advised citizens not to attend gatherings or undertake trips for Nowruz celebrations as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, officials from the National Olympic Committee of Afghanistan suspended all sports events.
A Buzkashi league in Kabul started last week and still is underway.
This comes as the Ministry of Public Health has reported 11 positive cases of coronavirus so far in Afghanistan.
The ministry in a statement on Saturday reported four more positive cases of Covid-19 in Afghanistan: one in the central province of Kapisa, one in the northern province of Balkh, one in the northern province of Samangan, and one in the western province of Herat. These are the first reported cases in Kapisa and Balkh, and the third positive case in this province of Samangan.
The ministry said that the total reported cases of the coronavirus in Afghanistan has reached 11 – six cases in Herat, three in Samangan, one in Kapisa, and one in Balkh.
So far, the Ministry of Public Health has tested 181 suspected cases, and these 11 have tested positive, and 171 have tested negative. The samples of the 181 suspected cases were from Herat, Samangan, Kapisa, Balkh, Daikundi, Parwan and Paktia.
This comes as health officials in Herat province on Thursday said that the first person infected with virus, a 35-year old man, in Heart had been recovered and discharged from hospital.
