Kabul, May 29 (IANS) Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health on Saturday announced that schools and universities in 16 provinces will remain closed for two weeks amid a Covid-19 surge.

The Ministry said that government and private schools, universities and training centres will remain closed in Kabul, Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, Logar, Nangarhar, Paktia, Parwan, Maidan Wardak, Panjshir, Balkh, Laghman, Badakhshan, Kapisa, Kunduz and Nimroz, reports TOLO News.

According to the Ministry, the highest daily reported cases during the first wave of Covid-19 last year in the country was 915 cases a day, but 977 new cases were reported on Friday.

It said that social distancing, the use of masks, and other health advice must be observed by the people to prevent the spread of the virus.

Afghanistan's cumulative infection tally stands at 70,107, with 2,899 deaths and 57,119 recoveries.

--IANS ksk/