TEHRAN, August 05 (MNA) – A survey conducted by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health suggests that some 10 million people may have contracted the novel coronavirus disease in the country.Acting Minister of Public Health Ahmad Jawad Osmani shared the findings on Wednesday which indicate that 31.5% of Afghan people have been infected with the disease, according to Avapress.

The study divides the 34 provinces into nine zones, with transmission rates varying across the region.

According to the Ministry, in Kabul, 53% of all residents are infected, and this figure reaches 42.3% in the eastern zone, 36.3% in the central zone, 34.1% in the western provinces, and 32.4% in the north-eastern provinces.

The lowest infection rates were in Daykundi and Ghor provinces with only 21% of their population infected.

According to the latest official data, 36,829 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Afghanistan, while the death toll is standing at 1,294.

A similar study in Iran also speculated that some 25 people may have contracted the virus in the country.

More than 18.7 million people across the world have contracted the virus so far and the death toll and recoveries have surpassed 704,000 and 11.9 million respectively.

MAH/PR