COVID-19
Health Ministry warns of 3rd wave as new Coronavirus variant detected
The Public Health Ministry (MoPH) said Saturday that Afghanistan could face a third wave of COVID-19 infections as a new variant of the virus has been detected in the country.
Acting Minister of Health, Wahid Majrooh said that seven out of 11 COVID-19 cases are now testing positive for the new variant.
As with other variants around the world, this variant is far more contagious and spreads a lot quicker, officials said.
Speaking at the inauguration of a new testing center in Kabul on Saturday, Majrooh said: “We have opened the testing center for the new variant (of COVID-19) to fight against the Coronavirus. Seven out of 11 cases are detected as a new variant. We hope to fight efficiently against the Coronavirus.”
Wais Mustafa, Head of the Coronavirus Control Center stated: “The new variant has now spread in Afghanistan. It can be easily transmitted from one person to another person. Fortunately, it has a lower fatality rate compared to the common one.”
Afghanistan, so far, has recorded at least 56,294 positive Coronavirus cases with 2,470 deaths and 49,994 recoveries.