KABUL (SW) – Up to 80 more lives were lost and 1531 new infections recorded in the past 24 hours as coronavirus continued to cause havoc across Afghanistan.
Figures compiled by the Ministry of Public Health confirmed that 4994 tests were conducted in this period out of which 1531 proved positive while 80 COVID-19 patients lost their lives.
- COVID-19: Delta variant blamed for surge in infections, deaths
- COVID-19: Over 2000 new cases confirmed in 24 hours
With this, the overall cases of infections so far surged to 115,615 while the corresponding deaths went up to 4730.
A day earlier, health authorities blamed the delta variant of COVID-19 (first detected in India) for the alarming spike in infections and deaths.
Acting Minister of Public Health Waheed Majrooh told a news conference in Kabul on Saturday that he had examined 19 suspicious samples of coronavirus in the central laboratories of the ministry, of which 11 were Delta or Indian and 8 were Alpha or English variants of the virus.
According to him, the reason for the worsening situation or rising death toll due to the pandemic in the country is the high prevalence of Indian variant.
This comes as the reports suggest the U.S. plans to give Afghanistan three million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as the country is facing a surge of coronavirus cases. The official said the doses could be sent as early as next week along with other supplies such as oxygen
ENDS
