35 new positive coronavirus cases have been reported in the past 24 hours, bringing the total cases to 1,031, said Wahidullah Mayar, a spokesman for the Health Ministry.

The 35 new positive coronavirus cases have been reported in Kabul (15), Herat (6), Laghman (9), Kunar (4) and Nangarhar (1) in the past 24 hours, Mayar said at a press conference.

He also confirmed that the head of Shinozada hospital in Kabul has died from the coronavirus. The hospital was closed several days ago after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed, he said. 

Regarding the lack of testing kits in Kabul and other provinces, Mayar said: “We will receive 5,000 kits today from the UN," adding that “more will be bought to solve the problem.”

The number of deaths from the COVID-19 disease globally is more than 165,238, and more than 2.4 million have been infected with the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

“Unfortunately, three of our countrymen lost their lives including one in Kabul, one in Kandahar and one in Kabul,” said Wahidullah Mayar, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health.

According to the ministry, 110 health workers have tested positive for the coronavirus so far and four of them have lost their lives.

On Monday, the ministry confirmed that Haji Azim, a surgeon and the owner of the Shinozada Hospital, a private health facility in Kabul, lost his life due to an infection by the coronavirus. His death has been noted with alarm by Afghan doctors who, according to sources, have less access to personal protection equipment even in state-owned hospitals. The ministry also confirmed the death of a surgeon in Jawzjan province.

“So far, 110 health workers have tested positive for the coronavirus, including 90 men and 20 women,” Mayar said.