A 200-bed hospital was opened in Mazar-e-Sharif city in Balkh province on Sunday to admit COVID-19 patients.

Health officials said the center is equipped with modern equipment needed for the treatment of patients who are infected with the coronavirus.

There are now six COVID-19 treatment centers in the country – two in Kabul, two in Herat, one in Balkh, and one in Nangarhar.

From 141 samples examined in Balkh, 21 have tested positive for the coronavirus. Of these, four people have died of COVID-19 in the province, according to statistics by the Ministry of Public Health.

Health officials said the center has 15 ventilators, which according to them is not sufficient for 200 beds.

“We have all the equipment required for COVID-19 patients. We have one issue: we have 15 ventilators but 200 beds,” said Khalilullah Hekmati, head of Balkh's public health directorate.

The Ministry of Public Health last week said there are a total of 300 ventilators in the country, and they are in government-owned hospitals

Figures by the Balkh public health directorate indicate that 70 to 80 people are visiting the COVID-19 testing center in Mazar-e-Sharif city every day. The center has the capacity to take 40 to 50 samples a day.

This comes as the city of Mazar has been in lockdown for the past five days.