The Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate said that more than 18,000 people in Afghanistan have contracted COVID-19 since the beginning of 2023, but said the number of COVID-19 patients has fallen down during the last two months.

“So far in 2023 we have had 18,000 positive cases of COVID-19, in 2022 the number was less than 45,000 which shows decline," said Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health

Nasir, 57, has come from Baghlan province to the Afghan capital, Kabul. He said he contracted COVID-19 and has been hospitalized in the Afghan-Japan Hospital for the last ten days.

“I could not even walk and enter the hospital, they brought me in a wheelchair but now I feel better," said the COVID-19 patient Nasir 

“I could not breathe, I was laying at my home and when opened my eyes I found myself in the hospital," said COVID-19 patient Rajab.

Meanwhile, authorities at the Kabul-based Afghan-Japan Hospital say that the number of COVID-19 patients has decreased in the last one month.

“We have 20 patients hospitalized here. 219 people were tested for COVID-19 last month, among them nine were found to have been positive," said Zalmay Rishteen, head of the COVID-19 ward in the Afghan-Japan Hospital.

“As the winter nears, signs of COVID-19 are appearing," said Shireen Agha Naseri, a doctor.

Based on the statistics of the Health Ministry and World Health Organization, 225,000 Afghans have contracted COVID-19 while 7,800 others have died due to the virus since 2020.