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COVID-19 Infects 70 Afghan Journalists, RSF Finds

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - A global media advocate said Friday the coronavirus
   pandemic has infected at least 70 journalists in Afghanistan, fueling
   troubles of a community already under attack from years of violence and
   terrorism.
   Reporters Without Borders, known by its French acronym RSF, made the
   revelation on a day when Afghan officials confirmed the number of
   COVID-19 infections across the war-torn country have reached close to
   19,000, with more than 300 deaths. The outbreak reached Afghanistan in
   March.
   "According to the information gathered by RSF, at least 70 Afghan
   journalists have been infected by Covid-19 since the end of March. '¦
   This means that Afghanistan's journalists have been hit harder by the
   coronavirus pandemic than any other media community in the world," the
   watchdog said.
   The France-based organization lamented in its statement that last week
   was deadly for Afghan media personnel, with two killed by an Islamic
   State-claimed bombing and two killed by COVID-19.
   "Meanwhile, nearly 50 journalists in the Kabul region who are infected
   with the virus say they are not being treated properly, either for lack
   of money or lack of medical supplies," it added.

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