The Ministry of Public Health on Friday reported 623 new positive cases of COVID-19--out of 985 samples tested--in the last 24 hours. The total known number of cases in Afghanistan is 13,659.

The ministry reports 11 COVID-19 deaths (7 in Herat, 2 in Khost, 1 in Kabul and 1 in Balkh) over the last 24 hours, bringing the total deaths to 246.

Also, 50 COVID-19 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, according to the ministry, bringing the total recovered cases to 1,259.

The total active cases are 12,156, and, so far, 35,921 samples have been tested, according to data from the ministry.

The highest number of cases was reported in Kabul with 271, followed by Herat (179 cases), Nangarhar (67), Balkh (23), Khost (18), Laghman (13), Parwan (10), Badakhshan (10), Paktika (9), Bamiyan (9), Paktia (7), Logar (3), Takhar (2), Kunar (1), and Daikundi (1).

Recoveries were reported in Kabul (15), Paktika (21), Herat (5), Farah (5), Khost (3), and Nuristan (1).

This comes as a lockdown has been eased unofficially in Kabul, but people should follow some rules, including not carrying more than three people in a taxi while buses are banned, say officials.