Days after the American embassy in Kabul stopped its&nbsp;visa operations due to a surge in coronavirus cases, the management announced an immediate lockdown after 114 staffers fell ill, with the military hospital's ICU running at full capacity.

The embassy announced it had created temporary wards to take care of patients who needed oxygen, with the majority of cases being unvaccinated.

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The authorities have banned indoor meetings unless it is "absolutely mission-critical". Indoor and outdoor pools and indoor gyms have been&nbsp;closed.

The restrictions are set to be in force until the chain of transmission is broken, it said. One staff member has died due to the virus.

Afghanistan has been hit by a third wave with over 3,400 casualties reported since the country was hit by the pandemic last year.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies had earlier reported that COVID-19 cases have reported a huge jump with hospitals&nbsp;under pressure and lack of resources impeding medical care.

The country recorded 2,313 coronavirus cases and 101 fatalities on Thursday with less than 1 per cent citizens vaccinated as China's Sinopharm vaccine arrived in the country last week.

Several areas including Kabul have been hit badly with the virus with hospital beds fully occupied.

Days after the American embassy in Kabul stopped its visa operations due to a surge in coronavirus cases, the management announced an immediate lockdown after 114 staffers fell ill, with the military hospital's ICU running at full capacity.

Days after the American embassy in Kabul stopped its visa operations due to a surge in coronavirus cases, the management announced an immediate lockdown after 114 staffers fell ill, with the military hospital's ICU running at full capacity. The embassy announced it had created temporary wards to take care of patients who needed oxygen, with the majority of cases being unvaccinated. Watch: The authorities have banned indoor meetings unless it is "absolutely mission-critical". Indoor and outdoor pools and indoor gyms have been closed. The restrictions are set to be in force until the chain of transmission is broken, it said. One staff member has died due to the virus. Afghanistan has been hit by a third wave with over 3,400 casualties reported since the country was hit by the pandemic last year. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies had earlier reported that COVID-19 cases have reported a huge jump with hospitals under pressure and lack of resources impeding medical care. The country recorded 2,313 coronavirus cases and 101 fatalities on Thursday with less than 1 per cent citizens vaccinated as China's Sinopharm vaccine arrived in the country last week. Several areas including Kabul have been hit badly with the virus with hospital beds fully occupied.

American embassy in Kabul hit with Covid virus; 114 infected, 1 dead

15 people have been killed while 45 wounded and 80 patients have been&nbsp;evacuated from a hospital in Kabul after gunmen attacked it on Tuesday,&nbsp;&nbsp;according to a spokesman for&nbsp;Afghanistan's&nbsp;interior ministry.

Spokesman Tariq Arian said special forces on the scene were continuing their efforts to rescue all remaining patients and staff, and had already killed one attacker in a "clearing operation" which was still underway.

The&nbsp;Dasht-e-Barchi hospital is run by the international humanitarian organisation&nbsp;Médecins Sans Frontières&nbsp;(MSF)&nbsp;as a maternity clinic.

Several people were also wounded in the attack on the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital, according to a ministry of interior official, and dozens of people were being evacuated.

Some people remained trapped in the hospital and several doctors had leapt to an adjacent building after at least three attackers wearing police uniforms entered, throwing grenades and shooting, government officials said.

No group has taken responsibility behind the attack. Taliban denied claims of being responsible&nbsp;for the attack.

The 100-bed government-run facility is supported by MSF, said Wahidullah Mayar, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health.

Security forces were working to counter the attack and 80 people including women and children had been evacuated, said the interior ministry spokesman, Tariq Arian.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered the country's security forces Tuesday to resume offensive operations against the Taliban and other insurgent groups, following two separate attacks that killed dozens of people.

"I order all the security forces to end their active defence position, return to offensive postures, and resume their operations against the enemy," Ghani said in a televised address.

15 people have been killed while 45 wounded and 80 patients have been evacuated from a hospital in Kabul after gunmen attacked it on Tuesday, according to a spokesman for Afghanistan's interior ministry.

15 people have been killed while 45 wounded and 80 patients have been evacuated from a hospital in Kabul after gunmen attacked it on Tuesday, according to a spokesman for Afghanistan's interior ministry. Spokesman Tariq Arian said special forces on the scene were continuing their efforts to rescue all remaining patients and staff, and had already killed one attacker in a "clearing operation" which was still underway. The Dasht-e-Barchi hospital is run by the international humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) as a maternity clinic. Several people were also wounded in the attack on the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital, according to a ministry of interior official, and dozens of people were being evacuated. Some people remained trapped in the hospital and several doctors had leapt to an adjacent building after at least three attackers wearing police uniforms entered, throwing grenades and shooting, government officials said. No group has taken responsibility behind the attack. Taliban denied claims of being responsible for the attack. The 100-bed government-run facility is supported by MSF, said Wahidullah Mayar, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health. Security forces were working to counter the attack and 80 people including women and children had been evacuated, said the interior ministry spokesman, Tariq Arian. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered the country's security forces Tuesday to resume offensive operations against the Taliban and other insurgent groups, following two separate attacks that killed dozens of people. "I order all the security forces to end their active defence position, return to offensive postures, and resume their operations against the enemy," Ghani said in a televised address.

15 people killed, several wounded after gunmen storm Kabul hospital

At least 30 new positive coronavirus cases have been reported in the past 24 hours in Afghanistan, taking the total to 1,026 on Monday, health authorities were quoted by Tolo News.

Fifteen new positive coronavirus cases were reported in Kabul, 6 in Herat, 4 in Laghman and Kunar each, while one in Nangarhar province in the past 24 hours, Wahidullah Mayar, a spokesman for the Health Ministry, said at a press conference.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-20-afghan-presidential-palace-staff-test-positive-for-coronavirus-health-official-293308" hreflang="en">At least 20 Afghan presidential palace staff test positive for coronavirus: Health official</a>

The official also confirmed that the head of Shinozada hospital in Kabul has died after contracting the contagion.

The hospital was closed several days ago after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed, he said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/now-afghanistan-to-battle-coronavirus-with-crumbling-health-infrastructure-293206" hreflang="en">Now, Afghanistan to battle coronavirus with crumbling health infrastructure</a>

Regarding the lack of testing kits in Kabul and other provinces, Mayar said: "We will receive 5,000 kits today from the UN," adding that "more will be bought to solve the problem.

"The number of deaths from the COVID-19 disease globally is more than 165,238, and more than 2.4 million have been infected with the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University

At least 30 new positive coronavirus cases have been reported in the past 24 hours in Afghanistan, taking the total to 1,026 on Monday, health authorities were quoted by Tolo News.

At least 30 new positive coronavirus cases have been reported in the past 24 hours in Afghanistan, taking the total to 1,026 on Monday, health authorities were quoted by Tolo News. Fifteen new positive coronavirus cases were reported in Kabul, 6 in Herat, 4 in Laghman and Kunar each, while one in Nangarhar province in the past 24 hours, Wahidullah Mayar, a spokesman for the Health Ministry, said at a press conference. Also read: At least 20 Afghan presidential palace staff test positive for coronavirus: Health official The official also confirmed that the head of Shinozada hospital in Kabul has died after contracting the contagion. The hospital was closed several days ago after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed, he said. Also read: Now, Afghanistan to battle coronavirus with crumbling health infrastructure Regarding the lack of testing kits in Kabul and other provinces, Mayar said: "We will receive 5,000 kits today from the UN," adding that "more will be bought to solve the problem. "The number of deaths from the COVID-19 disease globally is more than 165,238, and more than 2.4 million have been infected with the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University

Afghanistan's coronavirus cases climb to 1,026