First case of coronavirus reported in Afghanistan

The Afghan Health Ministry on Monday reported the first case of the novel coronavirus involving a resident of Herat province who had recently returned to the country from neighbouring Iran.

The infected person was one of the three suspected cases reported on Sunday in Herat -- the western province that shares a border with coronavirus-affected Iran.

"Two of the cases were negative but one was positive," Tolo News reported Ferozuddin Feroz, Minister of Public Health, as saying, adding that "preparations already took place" to respond to the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the country's National Security Council said that all travel to and from Iran has been temporarily banned to prevent the coronavirus outbreak. It may be noted that Iran is the only Middle Eastern country that has reported deaths from coronavirus.

Coronavirus first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has since then killed more than 2500 people in that country alone, while cases have been reported in several countries across the world, including India.