COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan

[5] However, on 5 August 2020, an official survey from the Ministry of Public Health reported that approximately a third of the country's population, or roughly 10 million people had contracted COVID-19.

[6][7] On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan, Hubei, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.

Ghazni had 13, Paktia had 11, Paktika had nine, Balkh had eight, Badghis and Kabul had six, Herat and Nangarhar had four, Khost and Laghman had three, and one case was recorded in Baghlan.

Balkh had 34, Herat had 33, Kabul had 27, Kandahar had 21, Baghlan and Paktia had eight, Kunduz had seven, Ghor and Sar e-Pol had five, Faryab, Nimruz and Samangan had four, Khost, Laghman and Nangarhar had three, Helmand had two, whilst Paktika and Panjshir recorded a single new case each.

Herat had 21, Kabul had 15, Balkh had 10, Logar had nine, Jowzjan had eight, Lagman, Paktia and Panjshir had seven, Ghazni and Takhar had six, Nangarhar had five, Helmand, Kunar and Wardak had two, whilst Badakhshan, Badghis and Kapisa recorded a single new case each.

Kandahar had 45, Balkh had 41, Kabul had 20, Ghazni had 12, Logar and Paktia had 10, Panjshir and Samangan had nine, Takhar had eight, Kunduz had seven, Baghlan and Nangarhar had five, Badghis and Wardak had four, Laghman had three, Paktika and Parwan had two, whist Faryab and Sar e-Pol recorded a single new case each.

Deputy Minister of Health, Wahid Majrooh, announced that only a certain number of patients had been admitted to the center at Darul Aman Palace for various reasons, which included security issues.

[131] In Kunduz Province, local officials announced that Fahim Qarluq, the district governor of Qalay-i-Zal and the provincial police chief, General Rashid Bashir, had died of COVID-19.

On 3 December, the "Ministry of Public Health (MoPH)"[clarification needed] stated that there were no cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant so far in Afghanistan, but urged international assistance.

[168] Abdul Bari Omar, the Afghan deputy minister of health services, said that pregnant women and children could take COVID-19 vaccines.

[177] On 20 March, the Ministry of Public Health said that no private labs or hospitals are allowed to undertake the checking of suspected or positive patients.

The Ministry of Public Health announced that they intended to increase the capacity of laboratories for testing coronavirus samples in Herat and Balkh provinces.

[128] On 31 May, President Ashraf Ghani appointed Ahmad Jawad Osmani as the acting minister of public health, replacing Ferozuddin Feroz.

[199] On 1 June, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) announced that Afghanistan was facing a humanitarian disaster as the number of cases rose by 684% in May.

[178] On 22 March, Public Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz urged the government to order the lockdown of the city of Herat at a press conference in Kabul.

[207] On 24 March, in Jalalabad, Nangarhar Province, the local authorities placed strict measures in the provincial capital, limiting the movement of citizens until 1 April.

This also consisted of mainly women, youths and the critically ill.[213] Based on President Ashraf Ghani's decree, the prisoners would be released over the 10 following days.

[232] On 21 March 2020, Afghanistan contributed $1 million to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) emergency fund to help fight COVID-19.

[239] Since early May 2020, the Taliban have not allowed six food aid trucks from Turkmenistan in Tagab District, which was expected to arrive at Maymana, Faryab Province.

[242] On 23 April, it was reported that in western Kabul medical workers had begun volunteering by distributing food and equipment (such as gloves) to poor families.

[176] On 23 March 2020, Cordaid announced that they would distribute soap in communities, handle waste management and supply thermometers to reduce the risk of spread in Afghanistan.

They also held community awareness sessions and helped to improve the referral systems of patients to health centers that have a treatment ward for COVID-19.

[257] On 16 March 2020, the Taliban announced that in Balkh Province, they arrested the runaway patient who tested positive for coronavirus and handed him back to health authorities.

However, political turmoils, poverty, and the recent withdrawal of support from the United[262] States and other international allies make it impossible for many Afghans to adhere to the country's health rules and regulations.

So, it is reasonable to suggest that the poor group of Afghans who visit government hospitals may not be able to afford to be compliant with preventive practices such as mask-wearing due to poverty.

[265] The Afghanistan National Olympic Committee (ANOC) announced that all sport events were canceled after 14 March, including a Buzkashi league tournament that was being held in Kabul.

[269] On 18 April, Balkh officials and volunteers announced that over 20,000 displaced people and returnees, as well as over 10,000 vulnerable families in the province, needed assistance due to the loss of jobs, low wages, and unemployment.

[230] On 12 April 2020, the national power company, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), asked the government for a $50 million loan after announcing that they had lost 60% of their revenue due to the outbreak.

[277] On 20 June, Pakistan's Ministry of Interior announced that the Torkham and Spin Boldak borders would open for six days a week under strict health measures.

[293] On 19 June, in order to rescue for Afghan citizens, the Government of Afghanistan re-opened its border with Iran, which had been closed briefly to all air and ground travel.