Full hospitals in Afghanistan close doors to new patients as COVID-19 surges

The two main hospitals treating people with COVID-19 in Afghanistan have had to close their doors to new patients because of a lack of beds, a senior health official and doctors said on Monday. Afghanistan is grappling with a third wave of the pandemic, with a record number of infections and deaths being reported amid a surge in violence as U.S.-led international forces withdraw and Taliban insurgents go on the offensive. 'Both Afghan Japan and Ali Jinnah hospitals had to close their doors because they had no more beds or resources,' the health official said on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly about the matter.