KABUL: Alarmed by the global spread of coronavirus, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday urged officials to avoid hugging and shaking hands from now on while the minister of public health called on locals to refrain from participation in the Nowruz (Iranian New Year) festival set for later this month.
The government has confirmed only one positive case of the virus and recorded 80 further suspected cases, who it says are Afghans who returned from neighboring Iran in recent weeks. Speaking in a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Ghani said the spread of the virus, apart from other Afghans, posed a threat to security and defense forces, who are fighting a broadening Taliban insurgency.
“Campaign against this virus requires a major change in our culture, system of governance,” he said. “The first clear and primary requirement is to change this culture in the administration and please refrain from hand shaking and embracing…and this should be taken very seriously,”.
After Ghani’s comments in the cabinet, Afghan Public Health Minister, Ferozuddin Feroz spoke with reporters, urging Afghans to avoid taking part in the national new year festival or Nowruz, to be held later in March. “I request my countrymen that it is better to not participate in Nowruz, this is in their interest, for the interests of their families and the public at large,” Feroz said. “Since there is a chance that the virus spreads in such large gatherings,”.
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