Kazakhstan's Former President Nazarbayev Tests Positive For COVID-19

Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Nazarbayev’s spokesperson confirmed that the influential former president has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in self-isolation.

“There is no reason for concern,” said spokesman Aidos Ukibay, concerning the health of the former president who retains the power as the Chair of Kazakhstan’s security council.

The news concerning COVID-19 diagnosis was confirmed by the local press release on June 18, Thursday.

“Unfortunately, Elbasy’s latest test for the coronavirus infection has returned positive. There is no reasons to panic. Nursultan Nazarbayev will continue to carry out his duties remotely while in isolation,” the press release states.

There are reports of the COVID-19 outbreak worsening in Kazakhstan. Recently, the government in the country decided to close all shopping malls, parks and markets in all major cities on June 20 and June 21. The officials also decided to make extra hospital beds available for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The government of Central Asia’s country has also asked all provinces to ramp up the testing considering the increasing number of coronavirus cases. Kazakhstan ended its nationwide lockdown in May. The number of cases has since then increased at an alarming rate.

At the end of the lockdown in May, Kazakhstan had almost 5000 confirmed patients of coronavirus. The Kazakhstan coronavirus tally currently stands at about 23,000 with 100 confirmed deaths.

Before Nazarbayev’s COVID-19 diagnosis, Healthcare Minister Yelzhan Birtanov and lower house speaker Nurlan Nigmatulin tested positive for COVID-19, after which several government officials went on self-isolation.

Coronavirus has affected several officials in different parts of the world. Recently, the Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was diagnosed with COVID-19, following which he self-isolated.

But when the reports confirmed pneumonia, he had to be shifted to the military hospital to prevent his health from worsening further and so that he can receive medicines intravenously.