Rising Covid-19 positivity rate worrisome: Experts

KABUL (Pajhwok): The number of people infected with the coronavirus has more than tripled in the past 20 days, Pajhwok Afghan News has learnt on good authority.

Pajhwok collected and analysed positive cases, fatalities and recoveries from January 7 to February 5. The statistics were released daily by the Ministry of Public Health.

On January 7, about 39 individuals tested positive for Covid-19 out of a total of 846 suspected cases. There was not fatality on that date when 17 people recovered from the disease.

On February 5, the ministry reported about 131 positive cases. As many as 749 suspected people underwent tests. Three died and 49 more recovered.

Meanwhile, officials at the Afghan-Japan Hospital reported an increase of about 50 percent in positive cases. Most of new patients have symptoms of the Omicron variant.

In an exclusive interview with Pajhwok, Afghan-Japan Hospital Director Dr. Zalmay Rekhtin said 80-100 samples were collected daily in recent days, compared to less than 30 two weeks back.

A fortnight ago, he recalled, two to five people tested positive. But the daily positivity rate has now soared 30-40, according to the director.

Referring to hospitalised patients, he said, their number was about 40 two weeks ago. But at the moment, this number has gone up to 72, indicating an increase of about 80 percent.

Five to 10 coronavirus patients needed to be hospitalised daily. Dr. Rekhtin said, noting a rise in the positivity rate over the past two weeks.

He said sore throat, sweating and diarrhea were among the symptoms of Omicron. Most of patients who visited the hospital recently had these signs.

Earlier, coronavirus hospitals used to be funded by the World Bank and provided all facilities. But after the political change in the country, aid flows came to a halt.

“Currently our staff is working voluntarily. If the situation continues like this, we will once again run into problems,” he feared.

Medicines are available at the hospital, but some items had finished.

“We don’t have the money needed to buy these items and no one is cooperating with us. Our problems will aggravate if no one offers aid. We need support for our hospital so that patients get services,” the director remarked.

Rekhtin warned if employee’s salaries were not paid in time, the quality of services would go down.

“We had activated a plant, producing oxygen for patients. After the political change, however, the plant stopped working due to non-availability of fuel.”

The generators consume 500 liters of fuel daily, said the director, who promised to reactivate it if fuel was supplied.

He called on the global fraternity to lend Afghanistan prompt financial support; otherwise, the country would not be able to combat the pandemic.

Dr. Javed Hajir, spokesman for MoPH, also acknowledged an increase in positive Covid-19 cases. He urged people to take precautions before Afghanistan slipped into a crisis.

He called a drastic cut in international aid a matter of grave concern, saying they would contact some donors for assistance.

The Ministry of Public Health says since the outbreak of the virus, more than 163,000 positive cases have been recorded in the country. More than 146,000 people have recovered, over 7,400 individuals losing their lives to the pandemic.

sa/mud