By Aliia Raimbekova, Ruslan Rehimov, Nazir Aliyev Tayfur, Dmitri Chirciu, and Davit Kachkachishvili
NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (AA) – The Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan will temporarily ban foreign entries to the country as of Thursday to help curb the coronavirus outbreak.
The move came after Kyrgyzstan announced its first confirmed cases of coronavirus earlier Wednesday.
In a statement, President Sooronbay Ceenbekov called on the public to act responsibly, to follow all safety measures but not give in to panic.
Meanwhile, in its larger neighbor Kazakhstan, the Health Ministry announced that the number of novel coronavirus cases has reached 35.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered of 70% of the personnel in state and private intuitions “to work remotely”.
Farther east in Georgia, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, the number of COVID-19 cases rose to 38. A total of 1,130 people are under quarantine as part of measures to prevent the virus’ spread.
In neighboring Azerbaijan, four of 27 people who were treated for the virus recovered, increasing the total to 10.
All mosques in the country were also temporarily closed to prayers.
In Russia, Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov said that all schools will be closed for three weeks as of March 23 due to anti-coronavirus measures.
Worldwide, out of over 197,000 confirmed cases, the death toll now exceeds 7,900, while more than 81,000 patients have recovered, according to Worldometer, a website that compiles new case numbers.
The number of active cases is more than 107,000 – 93% mild and 7% in critical condition, according to the website.
The World Health Organization has declared Europe the new epicenter of the virus, which first emerged in Wuhan, China last December.
