As many as 40 new COVID-19 cases have been registered in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of patients infected with the virus to 38,855, said a statement released by the country's Public Health Ministry on Wednesday.

According to the statement, 10 patients have died over the period, raising the number of COVID-19 related deaths to 1,436 since February when Afghanistan saw the coronavirus outbreak, Xinhua news agency reported.

A total of 405 patients have recovered over the past 24 hours, totaling the number of recovered to 32,503 in the country.

 (IANS)