54 deaths and 1,724 new cases recorded
AT News
KABUL: Schools and Universities will remain closed for another two weeks in 16 provinces in the view of a surge in positive cases of COVID-19 with the health authorities scrambling to tame the third wave of the virus that is rapidly spreading across the country.
The Ministry of Public Health on Tuesday announced that schools, universities, training courses, wedding halls, swimming pools and conference halls will remain shut for two more weeks in Kabul, Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, Logar, Nangarhar, Paktia, Parwan, Wardak, Panjshir, Balkh, Laghman, Badakhshan, Kapisa, Kunduz and Nimroz provinces to prevent further spreading of the coronavirus.
The ministry called on the people to remain cooperative and termed their cooperation vital to control the third-wave of COVID-19. The Afghan masses were asked to seriously pay attention to the precautions and advice given by the health authorities.
In a statement, the health ministry called on the people to use face-masks, observe social distancing in public institutions, and wash their hands with soap several times a day.
Meanwhile, the health ministry registered 1,724 new cases of COVID-19 and 54 deaths in the past 24 hours across the country.
Another 571 patients have fully recovered during the same period of time, the ministry’s data shows.
It is worth mentioning that two weeks ago the ministry had decided to close schools and universities to avoid further spread of the virus. As the first deadline will end next week, the ministry announced two more weeks’ closures of educational centers in an effort to break the chain of the virus.