Principal’s death rumor from Coivd-19 proves false

KABUL (Pajhwok): Rumors that the Lameh Shaheed High School principal died from coronavirus and its teachers and students have been infected by the virus are false, Pajhwok Afghan News has reliably learned.

While it is true that the school principal, Zarghona Akbari, has died, but she was not infected with the coronavirus and died of other health complications, the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and a teacher at the school said.

One of the teachers from Lemah Shaheed High School citing Akbari’s family said the medical tests of Akbari that were conducted in Ameeri Hospital showed she had not been infected with coronavirus, but her death was caused by other diseases such as blood cholesterol and liver disease.

After the outbreak of Covid-19, schools that were due to reopen after March 23, could not be opened due to the fear regarding the spread of coronavirus, but after violence declined, schools started opening up in phases.

Classes of 12^th and 11^th resumed in mid-September and from class one to 10^th in October.

After resumption of schools, most of students and teachers were worried about non-compliance with pre-cautionary measures advised by physicians and they claimed that some students and teachers had contracted the virus.

Death rumor of school principal worried students, teachers:

Around one month earlier, rumors spread among students and teachers that the principal of Lameh Shaheed High School had died from coronavirus.

Some students told Pajhwok Afghan News that besides the school principal, a number of teachers and students of the school had been infected with the infection and therefore students had been sent on leave.

Laila Asadi, a school teacher in 3^rdMacroryan of Kabul City, said: “Coronavirus spreads among teachers and students in school and a large number of students have been infected. We are worried as some days back the principal of a school died from coronavirus.”

Without naming the school, she said a large number of its students and teachers had Covid-19 signs — headache, cold, flue and sore throat.

A teacher in the Girls High School of Bibi Mahro in Kabul City who refused to be named said the principal of Lameh Shaheed High School had died of coronavirus.

The source complained about violations of health advisory measures in schools and added: “The death of the principal of Lameh Shaheed High School has made every one depressed and we hope that the Education Ministry would take a decision regarding closing of all schools.”

Shogofa Farid, a teacher at Qala-e-Zaman Khan Girls High School, says there were rumors in their school that a principal from Lameah Shaheed High School had died from coronavirus.”

She said some classes were closed and students sent on leave because some students had contracted coronavirus.

Principal Akbari’s death from Coronavirus is propaganda:

The Ministry of Education (MoE) said that news regarding the death of Lameh Shaheed School principal and that some students had been infected was propaganda.

Another principal of the Lameh Shaheed High School, wishing not to be named, said that due to propaganda and false news circulating among students, the school created a Facebook page Lameh Shaheed High School Macroyan 1^stand published official statement addressing teachers, students and their families.

The official facebook page of the school says: “This is very sad to announce that principal Zarghona Akbari has passed away from illness she was suffering from, but not due to coronavirus.”

Danish Mohammadi, head of the Lameh Shaheed School said: “The death of our school principal from coronavirus, the spread of the deadly virus among students and teachers and calling off classes is merely propaganda and there is no truth in this.”

About classes, Mohammadi said that classrooms were very cold and nine students fell ill due to cold weather and they were sent home on three days leave and they were now back in class after their recovery.

“Some students and their families believe that the school would be closed if the news regarding the spread of coronavirus circulates,” he said.

One of the Lameh Shaheed High School teachers, wishing not to be named, said few days after the principal death, news spread that she died from coronavirus.

He said the late principal was suffering from high blood, cholesterol and liver problems, adding that her family conducted coronavirus test of the late principal which was negative.

According to the teacher, late Akbari conducted her tests in Ameeri Hospital.

Pajhwok Afghan News strived to get views of late principal Akbari’s family regarding the propaganda news that she died of coronavirus but they refused to talk.

But one of her daughters in response to Pajhwok request for comment said: “Please don’t recall our grief. We don’t want to talk about this topic.”

Dastagir Munir, a senior MoE advisor said that principal Akbari had died of heart attack, not from coronavirus.

“Some teachers and students who seek a new break from the school are spreading this propaganda, but we conducted our investigation and found that it to be false,” he said.

Pajhwok also contacted Ameeri Hospital, but hospital administration said that without the consent of patient family the medical record could not be shared with third party. Since the outbreak of coronavirus in Afghanistan, 41,814 positive cases have been registered, in which 34,404 have recovered while 1,584 died from the virus.

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“This Fact Check Story was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Pajhwok and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.”

Azizullah Hamdard

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