Balkh's provincial health directorate report that 79 Covid patients have been hospitalized in the provincial Covid-19 hospital, and 78 of the patients are in critical need of oxygen.

The head of the Balkh provincial hospital, Gul Ahmad Ayoubi, calls on the Balkh citizens to take preventive measures and follow the advice recommend by health officials.

“We have so far recorded 40 deaths in this peak, there are also many young people among them, the youngest who died was 23 years old,” said Gul Ahmad Ayoubi, the head of the Balkh health department.

Ayoubi added that during the last 10 days, 43 COVID-19 patients--12 of whom were under 50 years of age--have died in Balkh province.

Zabiullah Haqjo, deputy head of Balkh’s Religious Scholars Council, said: “If the disease has the capacity to kill, then the scholars should maintain social distancing.”

In addition to the concerns over the spread of COVID-19 in Balkh, many citizens are worried about COVID-19 patients who are in need of oxygen. Only powerful people, especially security forces, who can force hospitals and doctors to provide them with oxygen, are receiving it, Balkh residents say. 

Balkh citizens say poor people face a lack of oxygen more than others.

Citing concerns over the increasing number of COVID-19 deaths and positive cases in the third wave of the virus, Balkh local officials said that all hotels, restaurants, saunas, and education institutes will be closed for the next 10 days to prevent the further spread of the virus in the province.