Displaced by war, dozens of Faryab people contracted Covid-19

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Local officials say dozens of people displaced by war has contracted coronavirus or Covid-19 in southwestern Faryab province.

Governor Naqibullah Faiq, told Pajhwok Afghan News that around 10,000 families have been displaced from Khwaja Sabzposh, Almar and Qaisar districts to Maimana city, the provincial capital due to war since the last few months.

He said that 800 of the families were living in tents and poor economic and sanitation condition.

A number of members of these families who got fever and cough were examined by Covid-19 Treatment Center and 30 of them were infected by the virus, he said.

He said that the infected people did not want to be hospitalized in the center but they were given promises of assistance and agreed to receive treatment in the health center.

Faiq said that the number of infected people among displaced families would probably high due to their close residence.

Dr. Mohammad Naim Musamam, Faryab public health director, said that 18 of those whose results were positive taken to the center for treatment on Thursday evening.

He said that Covid-19 diagnosis and treatment services were available in Faryab and two more of these centers would be opened in Andkhoi district and Maimana city in the next three days.

Since the second wave of the virus, 50 positive cases detected while four of the infected lost their lives, he added.

Rahmatullah, one of the displaced people said that besides losing their relatives and displacement, arrival of the virus to their families was another problem that added to their pain.

He said that government, aid organizations and the local people had somehow helped them, but they could not protect themselves from the cold winter.

He said that he also worried if Covid-19 had infected his family members as a number of people in the area were diagnosed positive for the virus.

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