KABUL, Xinhua  — Afghanistan’s Public Health Ministry reported 1,531 new COVID-19 positive cases on Sunday, taking the number of patients infected with the disease to 115,615 in the country.

The pandemic has so far claimed 4,730 lives in Afghanistan, including 80 deaths in the past 24 hours, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

A total of 805 patients have recovered over the period, according to the statement.

The ministry has also warned of rapid spread of the disease, calling upon Afghan citizens to respect the anti-pandemic measures and guidelines of the health ministry and stay at home or wear mask in public buses and crowded areas.