Monitoring Desk
HERAT: At least 12 suspected coronavirus cases were registered in western Herat province in the past two days, local health officials said on Thursday.
Herat’s health department officials said that the test samples of the suspected cases were sent to Kabul province for testing.
“All suspected people have returned from Iran,” said Mohammad Asif Kabir, deputy head of the provincial health department, who added that “from 19 suspected coronavirus cases in the province, only one was positive, seven were negative and 12 others are currently being tested.”
The 12 potentially infected people were quarantined at a health center in the province, the officials said.
Wahidullah Mayar, a spokesman for the Health Ministry, said on Thursday that in the past 24 hours, 15 cases from Herat, Ghor, Kabul and Baghlan have been tested in Kabul, and so far five came back negative while the results from 10 other cases will be determined in the upcoming 24 hours.
“So far, in total 30 samples of suspected coronavirus cases have been sent to the Kabul laboratory,” he added.
The one case that is confirmed in Herat is a 35-year-old Afghan man who had traveled from Qom city in Iran.
In Iran, the virus has killed 26 while 245 cases of infection have been reported in the country, according to Iran’s health ministry.
President Ghani on Tuesday night ordered the Finance Ministry to provide $15M to the Ministry of Public Health to fund coronavirus prevention efforts.
The government also allocated $10M to the health ministry as a reserve.
1 case of Coronavirus, 14 others test negative: The Ministry of Public Health said Wednesday that of the 15 suspected cases of coronavirus from Herat, Ghor and Kabul provinces, only one was positive, in Herat, and the 14 other cases came back negative after tests in Kabul.
“The number of incidents is not increasing and is under control, but that does not mean that the number of incidents will not increase, because we have to be careful—and those who travel to Iran and come back when they find symptoms—we called them suspects,” said Public Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz.
According to the ministry, the outbreak is now under control in Afghanistan, but citizens must remain cautious.
“The Ministry of Finance allocated around $15 million to the Ministry of Public Health, while another ten million is in a state of reserve if the unwanted incidents escalate and get out of control,” said Feroz.
Officials at the central laboratory of the Ministry of Public Health say the coronavirus can be identified within hours.
The lab has more than a dozen doctors working to identify new viruses, such as corona, in separate departments.
Officials at the lab say they are equipped with advanced medical tools and have met WHO standards.
“If there is a emergency, if we don’t consider the cost, we can make our results available to our fellow citizens in about four to five hours,” said Nasir Ahmad Stanikzai, acting head of the lab.
Meanwhile, a number of MPs and members of the Herat Provincial Council are worried about the reopening of the Islam Qala border with Iran. Last night, they said, more than 1,200 Afghans were forced to cross the border into Afghanistan.
“The Afghan Foreign Ministry and Iranian Foreign Ministry have reached a diplomatic agreement on the border closure,” said Toryalai Tahiri, a member of Herat’s provincial council.
Fever, headache, sneezing, coughing and shortness of breath are symptoms of coronavirus, but washing hands with soap, using a mask, refraining from hand-shaking and kissing, not touching one’s mouth, nose, eyes, will help prevent spread of the virus. Also, using foods with vitamin C are known to help prevent the virus. (TOLOnews)
