Shopkeepers in Kabul on Thursday said that the fears raised by reports of COVID-19 have had a negative impact on their businesses on the eve of Nawroz –the Persian new year.

They said that last year on the eve of Nawroz people were flocking to shopping malls until midnight and business was booming.

Taimoor Shahi Bazar in Kabul is one of the key shopping centers in the capital city, and shopkeepers there say business has dropped significantly because of the coronavirus.

“Business has dropped significantly this year compared to the past because of the coronavirus. There is a feeling of fear among the people and they are not taking an interest in shopping--there is no business now,” said Ahmad Shah, a shopkeeper in Kabul.

“My experience shows that this year there is no good business--selling has dropped because of this new disease (COVID-19), so businesses in general have dropped in the market,” said Farhad Noor, a perfume seller in Kabul.

But some residents said that it is raised prices keeping them from shopping.

“This year the prices are higher than the previous year, including the prices of foodstuffs and dresses, but over the past two months the prices have gone very high and we call on the government to control the prices. The people are already fearful of coronavirus, so I want to call on the government to focus on this issue,” said Shukria, a resident in Kabul.

“Today I went shopping with my sister, but the situation in the bazaars do not look very good, there is not too much of a rush like the past, I think it's just because of coronavirus that the people are not willing to shop,” said Zahra, a resident in Kabul.

A brief look at Nawroz Festival:

Every year, Afghans all over the country celebrate the ancient Nawroz festival, the start of the Persian new year, which falls on the first day of spring, March 20.

Afghans celebrate Nawroz according to their local traditions. But in Balkh and Kabul, the festival is started by Janda Bala, a flag-hoisting ceremony.

On the occasion of Nawroz, Afghans across the nation express their hope that this year will bring lasting peace to the country – which has been suffering from war and violence for the past four decades.

In 2009, Nawroz was officially registered on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.