LOC15:26
12:26 GMT
ISLAMABAD, Feb 24 (KUNA) -- Afghanistan's first case of coronavirus case has been confirmed in the country's western Herat province on Monday, said officials.
Afghan minister of public health, Ferozuddin Feroz in a press conference in capital Kabul, confirmed the first coronavirus case in the country on the Iran border, the first reported case in Afghanistan, said the minister.
Earlier, the ministry of health had reported "two negative and one positive" coronavirus cases in Herat," said Feroz, citing "preparations" to respond to the coronavirus.
Afghan Public Health Ministry spokesman, Wahidullah Mayar, in a statement to media, said that the three infected persons are Herat residents who recently returned from Qom city in Iran. Blood samples of the three were sent to Kabul for testing and the results were shared.
Moreover, the National Security Council announced that all travel to and from Iran has been temporarily banned to prevent the coronavirus outbreak.
Based on this decision, trade relations between the two neighboring countries will also be stopped indefinitely.
The announcement came a day after Pakistan also temporarily closed its border with Iran from southwestern Balochistan province following reported deaths in the country after a spike in novel coronavirus cases. (end)
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