Kazakhstan’s COVID infection rate decreases by 28%

Over the past two weeks, coronavirus infections in Kazakhstan have fallen by 28 percent. Thus, Kazakhstan ranks 108th in the world morbidity ranking per million population, and 102nd in mortality among 222 countries. This was announced by the country's Health Minister Alexey Tsoy during the Government’s meeting. Presently, there is only one region of the country in a COVID-19 ‘red’ zone, and that is the Akmola region.

“The Akmola region is currently in the ‘red’ zone. Five regions are in the ‘yellow’ zone. Kazakhstan and 11 regions are in the ‘green’ zone. In the country, the number of recovered prevails over the number of cases. So, in November, compared with October, the number of recoveries is 1.6 times higher than the number of cases. 24 percent of infectious-disease beds are occupied, while the occupancy rate of ICU beds amounts to 21 percent. There has been a positive trend towards a decrease in the number of patients on treatment, with the number of patients falling by 3.7 times in the last three months (from 84,268 to 22,353). Mass vaccination against COVID-19 continues,” the minister said.

Tsoy reported on the results of a preliminary PCR screening conducted in Almaty for an omicron mutation. He said that the circulation of this COVID-19 variant has not been identified, but that a full study of positive samples taken in all regions of Kazakhstan is continuing. The country has also revised the tactics used to revaccinate the population. Thus, from December 8 onwards, all people who have received two doses of the vaccine or who have had a coronavirus infection, are eligible for revaccination after six months. To date, 44,702 citizens have already received the third dose.

Translation by Assem Zhanmukhanova

Editing by Saule Mukhamejanova