US Embassy in Kabul Says Local Employees, Diplomats Contracted COVID-19

World

June 20th, 10:38am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Afghan security personnel stand guard as civil society activists (not pictured) hold banners and shout slogans against the Iranian government during a protest in front of the Iranian embassy in Kabul on May 11, 2020. AFP

The US State Department revealed that COVID-19 infections have been reported at its embassy in the Afghan capital. It said those who were infected include diplomats, contractors and locally employed staff, however it did not specify the number of cases. “The embassy is implementing all appropriate measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” the US State department noted. An official at the embassy in Kabul, who could not be identified because of not being authorized to talk to the media, said as many as 20 people were infected, the majority of whom are Nepalese Gurkhas, who provide embassy security, the Associated Press reported. The infected staff are in isolation in the embassy while the remainder on the compound are being tested, said the embassy official, who also said the embassy staff have been told they can expect tighter isolation orders. Afghanistan reported 28,424 confirmed coronavirus cases. International aid organizations monitoring the pandemic's spread in the country said the numbers are much higher because of a lack of testing capabilities as well as access to testing. According to AP, they also fear the highly contagious disease has spread throughout the country with the return of nearly 300,000 Afghans from Iran, the hardest hit country in the region. Iran has recorded more than 200,000 cases and 9,392 deaths. Few of the Afghans who returned from Iran were tested before they fanned out across the country to their homes.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2344516/us-embassy-kabul-says-local-employees-diplomats-contracted-covid-19