Hospitals in Kazakhstan’s capital to be converted into COVID hospitals

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Kazakhstan’s capital, hospitals are being converted into infectious diseases hospitals. According to the head of the city’s public health department Timur Muratov, this is a necessary measure. Over the past 24 hours, 333 people have been hospitalized, 70 out of them are in critical condition, 47 are connected to the artificial lung ventilation device. As of July 22, there are 2,556 patients in infectious diseases hospitals of Nur-Sultan, said Timur Muratov. The load on hospitals is 72 percent.

“Due to the increase in cases, it is necessary to convert city hospitals into infectious diseases hospitals and suspend the work of day-care hospitals, as well as the planned hospitalization. Thus, there is a pressure on hospitalization of patients in various departments in other medical institutions,” Muratov said.

Measures are being taken in the capital to improve the epidemiological situation. The number of vaccination points was increased three times to cover the majority of the population with a vaccine. Their working hours were extended from 10.00 to 22.00, including Sunday and holidays. To date, more than 320,000 people in Nur-Sultan received the first component. Over 206,000 residents have been fully vaccinated.

Translation by Saniya Sakenova

Editing by Galiya Khassenkhanova