Situation Overview: UPDATED
MoPH Figures: As of 28 July, MoPH data shows that 145,996 people across all 34 provinces in Afghanistan are confirmed to have had COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. An additional 8,143 people have tested positive since the last update two weeks ago. Of the total cases since the start of the pandemic, some 95,726 people have recovered, and 6,615 people have died – at least 93 of the fatalities have been healthcare workers. Since the start of the pandemic, only 699,172 tests have been conducted for a population of 40.4 million.
Cases peaked over the post-Eid al-Fitr period and have now started to recede. In the last week, some 2,812 new cases and 290 new deaths were reported. This is a 47 per cent decrease in the number of new cases and a 15 per cent decrease in deaths compared to the week prior. While there are indications that the third wave is receding, caution is advised as post-Eid al-Hada trends are monitored.
Overseas testing has confirmed the presence of the variants in Afghanistan. While Afghanistan lacks in-country facilities to test for the Delta variant, concern over the variant’s spread remains high. A total of 35 laboratories are now operating with testing capacity of 8,700 tests per day. There are plans to establish 9 more labs by the end of August. Due to limited public health resources, lack of people coming forward for testing, as well as the absence of a national death register, confirmed cases of and deaths from COVID-19 are likely to be under-reported overall in Afghanistan.
Health partners continue to support the health system in case management and infection prevention and control. Since the onset of the pandemic in the country, around 7,434 health professionals have been trained in response to COVID19 at national and provincial level on subjects such as critical and severe case management, using of BIPAP, CiPAP, ventilators, nursing care, anesthesia, intubation and infection prevention and control. WHO has also recently delivered 500 oxygen concentrators to the Ministry of Public Health for distribution to COVID hospitals across the country.
WHO warns that despite the evidence of the Delta variant and ongoing risks of future variants, widespread complacency and failure to follow public health advice in Afghanistan is creating grave risks in the community with people generally not observing physical distancing or mask-wearing protocols. Given the decreasing yet still high number of in cases, the Government of Afghanistan has extended closure of all schools, universities and training courses that started on 29 May. The school closure is in effect across 16 provinces, including Kabul. Most government offices have moved to essential staff only because of the outbreak. No nation-wide lockdown measures are currently in place as a result of the pandemic.