Dozens of Afghan patients held in isolation, including at least one confirmed to have the coronavirus, escaped from a quarantine facility in western Afghanistan on Monday after breaking windows and attacking hospital staff, Reuters quoted officials as saying.

Dr Abdul Hakim Tamana, head of the health department of Herat province, said the 38 people who escaped had all recently returned from Iran.

Afghanistan has so far confirmed 21 cases of the coronavirus, mostly in Herat.

Wahid Mayar, spokesman for the country's Ministry of Public Health, said that the patients had escaped with the help of relatives, after beating up health workers and breaking the hospital's windows.