Kabul, May 24 (IANS): The Afghan government has urged citizens to respect the Public Health Ministry's advice and stay at home during the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday due to a "fast spread of coronavirus" in the country, an official said.

At least 782 new COVID-19 positive cases were recorded in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 9,998, Xinhua news agency quoted Tawhid Shakohmand, a spokesman for Public Health Ministry, as saying on Saturday.

COVID-19 also claimed the lives of eight persons in a day, taking the overall death toll to 216 since the pandemic began in February, Shakohmand said.

A deputy for Public Health Ministry has also called upon people to stay at home during Eid-ul-Fitr festival to stay safe, warning any ignorance to respect the lockdown would lead to catastrophe.

Kabul governor Mohammad Yaqub Haidari said that strict measures had been put in place during Eid-ul-Fitr days in Kabul to enforce the lockdown in the city.