Kazakhstan: Government implements restrictive measures in Shymkent April 4 /update 10

Event

On Friday, April 3, the Kazakh government announced that restrictive measures currently in place in the cities of Almaty and Nur-Sultan will be extended to the city of Shymkent as of 21:00 (local time) on Saturday, April 4, amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It remains unclear which specific restrictions will apply to Shymkent. In Almaty and Nur-Sultan, individuals are prohibited from leaving their homes except for essential work or to buy food or medicines. A decision was also made to build three infectious disease hospitals in Nur-Sultan, Almaty, and Shymkent to face the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

On Sunday, March 15, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a state of emergency, barring all foreign nationals from entering the country and prohibiting Kazakh nationals from departing the country. The state of emergency is set to last until April 15 at the earliest.

To date, there are 453 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Kazakhstan. Further international spread of the virus is expected over the coming days and weeks.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.  
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.  
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.