Following weeks of delays, the Afghan government on Wednesday announced the release of 100 Taliban prisoners, a move expected to be a step closer to intra-Afghan talks.

The Office of the National Security Council in a statement confirmed the release of the prisoners, saying it was the fulfillment of a recent decree made by President Ashraf Ghani.

Experts say the most important medical equipment to combat severe cases of COVID-19 is an artificial respiration device, or "ventilator." When the lungs fail completely or have been significantly reduced in their capacity to take in oxygen, a ventilator can still provide oxygen to the body, giving the patient a chance to fight the infection and eventually recover.

But while the spread of the coronavirus in Afghanistan is growing every day, a shortage of artificial ventilation devices is a major problem.