2nd COVID-19 wave hits Afghanistan with case surge

KABUL, Afghanistan

A second-wave novel coronavirus outbreak has hit Afghanistan with a surge in daily cases on Thursday, officials confirmed.

Fresh figures from the Health Ministry indicated that 253 new cases of COVID-19 and five deaths had emerged across the country in the past 24 hours. With 44 more recoveries, the total number of nationwide cases surged to 44,177.

A day earlier, Health Minister Ahmad Jawad Usmani announced that following a surge in case numbers, all international passengers arriving in Afghanistan would need to undergo a test.

He added that wedding halls in the country had been directed to close down while citizens have been directed to strictly follow safety measures.

Earlier this month, authorities in the conflict-ridden country declared that wearing facial masks in public places would be obligatory.

Afghanistan last month reopened schools for all grades after health authorities claimed the country had overcome the first wave of coronavirus.

At least 10 million Afghans have been infected by the coronavirus, a Health Ministry survey said in September.