Over two hundred citizens of Kazakhstan transported from China to Nur-Sultan on Feb. 11 — Ministry of Foreign Affairs

At the government session chaired by Prime Minister Askar Mamin, measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection in the Republic of Kazakhstan were considered.

Minister of Healthcare Yelzhan Birtanov said that 42,638 confirmed cases of new coronavirus pneumonia have been registered in the People’s Republic of China in all provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities), of which 1,016 have been fatal, 3,996 have been discharged with recovery.

In 44 countries of the world, 448 confirmed cases of the disease with a new type of coronavirus have been registered. At the same time, the growth rate of the incidence in the PRC from Jan. 31 to Feb. 9 decreased by 3.6 times (from 22% to 6.1%). However, in other countries, the increase in the incidence of coronavirus infection varies from 27% to 3.8%.

Due to the complication of the epidemiological situation in China, in order to prevent the importation and spread of the disease in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Healthcare has taken a number of measures. Among them are the signing of the Decree of the Chief State Sanitary Inspector of Kazakhstan on strengthening sanitary-epidemic control at all points of entry across the state border with China, organization of monitoring of all arrivals from China at the place of residence. In addition, medical organizations were prepared to receive persons suspected of having this disease. For this purpose, an additional 4,500 beds have been deployed. The necessary stock of personal protective equipment, prevention and treatment has been formed.

“On Jan. 30, 2020, WHO declared an emergency in public health of international importance. In this regard, the Ministry of Healthcare adopted an order to strengthen sanitary and quarantine control across the border and monitor arrivals from all countries,” said Birtanov.

At the same time, on behalf of the Head of State Kasyym-Jomart Tokayev, on Jan. 27, 2020, an Interdepartmental Commission under the Government chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister Berdibek Saparbayev was created to coordinate activities to prevent the occurrence and spread of coronavirus infection, which included all interested state bodies and akimats of the regions and the cities of Nur-Sultan, Almaty and Shymkent.

The Commission adopted the following decisions:

1) an action plan has been approved to prevent the occurrence and spread of coronavirus infection in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan;

2) passenger transportation (air, rail, road) has been suspended;

3) additional financial resources have been allocated from the Government reserve.

In order to prevent the importation and spread of coronavirus infection in the republic, from Jan. 6, 2020, at all entry points across the state border, a total of 260,885 people were examined, including 30,852 from the PRC.

As of this morning, 140 people were hospitalized with fever and symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections, 113 of them were discharged with recovery, 27 remain in hospitals. The patients are in satisfactory condition. None of the hospitalized coronavirus was detected.

Medical organizations provided health monitoring for 23,059 people who arrived from China at their place of residence within 14 days. To date, 15,478 people have been removed from monitoring due to the end of the incubation period, and 8,690 people remain under medical supervision. No one has a suspected coronavirus infection.

The National Center for Highly Infectious Infections, together with the National Center for Biotechnology, has developed its own Kazakhstan diagnostic system, which allows to quickly diagnose coronavirus.

In addition, diagnostic tests were obtained from the Russian Federation and China. Thus, laboratory diagnostics was provided in all patients with suspected coronavirus infection, as well as those who arrived by special board from Wuhan. A total of 313 people were examined. The results are negative, no coronavirus was detected.

Together with the ministries of health of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Uzbekistan, the health status of eight citizens evacuated from Wuhan is being monitored. Satisfactory condition, no coronavirus detected.

The Ministry of Healthcare has provided a wide outreach and round-the-clock call center activities for the population.

In order to ensure further protection of the country's population from coronavirus infection, the following is necessary:

  1. Continuing medical observation, hospitalization and, if necessary, quarantine for up to 14 days. Relevant instructions are directed to the health department;
  2. Continuing advocacy for the prevention of coronavirus infection.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tleuberdi, in turn, reported on the work done by the ministry to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the territory of Kazakhstan.

Thus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter from the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, addressed to the President of China Xi Jinping with words of full support and readiness to provide all possible assistance to China in the fight against coronavirus. The issue of providing humanitarian assistance to China in the form of medical gloves (1 million pieces) and masks (500 thousand pieces) was also worked out.

In addition, in accordance with the requests received through diplomatic channels, assistance was provided in the transportation of 24 citizens of the EAEU countries (18 citizens of Kyrgyzstan, 5 citizens of Belarus and 1 citizen of Armenia). Upon arrival in Nur-Sultan, all of them were quarantined, except for citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic, who were immediately sent to Bishkek.

As a result of the agreements reached with the Chinese side on an Air Astana flight on Feb. 11, 217 citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan were transported to Nur-Sultan, another 155 Kazakhstanis will be transported on Feb. 12, 2020.

At the request of the Chinese side, an Air Astana flight dated Feb. 10, 2020, transported 43 citizens of the PRC from Kazakhstan and the first part of the non-commercial cargo of the Embassy of the PRC and the Consulate General of the PRC in Almaty. The second part will be exported by land transport.

"In China after the evacuation on Feb. 10 and 12, 343 citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan remain, including employees and family members of our overseas institutions,” the minister of foreign affairs said.

The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, together with the Ministry of Education and Science and universities of the People's Republic of China, is working to provide Kazakhstanis with the necessary medical supplies and food.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all foreign institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the PRC have established hot lines for providing advice to citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Timely informing citizens about the current situation is carried out through the websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and foreign agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the PRC, as well as through various social networks (Facebook, instagram, telegram, weibo, wechat, etc.).

To date, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 450 citizens of Kazakhstan have independently returned to Kazakhstan.

“The above measures are carried out in close coordination with the Chinese side, which allows us to constructively resolve all issues related to the citizens of Kazakhstan in China. There are no problems hindering the ensuring of the rights and interests of our citizens in China,” the minister assured.

According to the information available at the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the PRC, as of Feb. 11, 2020, there are no Kazakh citizens among the cases of pneumonia in the PRC caused by the new type of coronavirus.

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