Official document delivered to Afghan presidential palace 'infects at least 20 staff'

At least 20 workers in Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's palace have tested positive for the coronavirus, two officials told AFP on Saturday, amid reports that the source of the outbreak was a contaminated letter delivered from a government department.

"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," one government official said.

A second official confirmed the number and said an additional 12 people from the president's administrative office had also contracted the virus.

The source of the high-profile outbreak is allegedly an official document delivered to the Presidential Palace in Kabul, which infected staff, according to a senior health official, who spoke to Reuters on a condition of anonymity.

Despite feeling unwell, some continued to work in their office as they awaited the results of tests, according to the official.

"[When the results came out] we had to quarantine them and their families, but the numbers could be higher," the official said.

A separate source told Reuters that Ghani, 70, has moved to limit contact with his staff, conducting most meetings through video conference calls and meeting only a handful in his inner circle in person.

COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, has been known to disproportionately affect older people and result in much higher mortality rates within that demographic.

Ghani recently began his second term as president and faces multiple crises, including a floundering peace process and an attack on his authority by his bitter rival Abdullah Abdullah, who also has claimed the presidency.

Kabul is currently on a coronavirus lockdown, which authorities recently extended for three weeks, and all government offices are shut.

Already battling shortages of food and medicine amid ongoing clashes with the Taliban, Afghanistan has officially reported only 933 cases of coronavirus, including 33 deaths.

Yet the impoverished nation has only limited access to testing, and observers fear the real numbers are much higher.

Agencies contributed to this report.

Read more: Afghanistan: Asia’s next coronavirus epicentre?

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