President Ghani wearing mask and gloves as part of precautions to prevent COVID-19 outbreak

At least 40 staff of ARG Presidential Palace have contracted the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as the disease is sharply spreading the capital, it has been reported.
The New York Times reported Sunday that 40 staff members of the presidential palace in Afghanistan have contracted the disease.
Earlier reports indicated that 20 staff members of the presidential palace have been infected with the deadly disease.
The ARG Palace published a post on Twitter on Thursday which shows President Ghani is chairing a cabinet meeting via video link.
The ARG Presidential Palace has not commented regarding the report so far but an official in the Afghan government had earlier told AFP “Twenty-odd people are infected with COVID-19 in the presidential palace. However, it is [being] kept under wraps to ensure no panic is caused.”
This comes as the Ministry of Public Health spokesperson Waheedullah Mayar said Sunday that the health authorities recorded 63 new positive cases after testing 286 people in the past 24 across the country.
Mayar further added that 31 of the new cases were recorded in Kabul, 16 in Kabul, 6 in Kunar, 4 in Herat, 3 in Baghlan, 1 in Faryab, 1 in Laghman and 1 in Jawzjan province.
According to Mayar, the new cases increase the total number of the COVID-19 positive cases to 993 since the outbreak of the disease in Afghanistan.