17 Oct 2026
Kazakhstan locks down several towns after spike in COVID-19 cases
Kazakhstan has locked down several towns and villages and tightened restrictions in one of its provinces following a spike in fresh COVID-19 cases, authorities said on Thursday, a month after ending a nationwide state of emergency, according to Reuters.
In the central Karaganda region, retailers and public transit will work shorter hours and private cars will be banned from moving at night from June 13, the government said in a statement.
Several towns and villages will be locked down again and 70% of public sector employees in the province will work from home, it said, adding that many local residents and businesses were disregarding social distancing rules.
Earlier this month, the Central Asian nation tightened restrictions, although to a lesser extent, in two other provinces which had also reported high rates of fresh cases.
Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic of 19 million people bordering China and Russia, has confirmed 13,558 COVID-19 cases with 67 deaths. It has also separately reported 2,529 asymptomatic cases.
Latest news
Latest newsBulgaria Asks NATO to Strengthen Its Defences Amid Black Sea Threats: Sofia Fears Growing Risks to Maritime Shipping
16.Oct.2026
Black Sea Shipping Risks Threaten Bulgaria’s 5 Million Tonnes of Wheat Exports
15.Oct.2026
Georgia’s Foreign Funding and Political Ban Laws Draw Criticism from the Venice Commission
15.Oct.2026
Kazakhstan Promotes a Caspian Green Energy Corridor: Astana Seeks New Routes to the European Market
14.Oct.2026
Inflation in Romania Accelerates to 6.61%: Rising Prices Increase Pressure on Households and the Economy
13.Oct.2026
Can Europe Protect the International Criminal Court from Trump’s Sanctions?
13.Oct.2026
Georgia’s Constitutional Court Continues Case on Banning Opposition Parties: Political Pluralism at Stake
12.Oct.2026
Azerbaijan and Iran Step Up Security Contacts Amid Hijab Protests
12.Oct.2026
Personnel Shortages Complicate Ukrainian Forces’ Rotation: Ukraine Faces Long-Term Challenges on the Front Line
11.Oct.2026
Trump Eases Sanctions on Russian Fuel After Talks with Putin: Kyiv Fears Boost to Moscow’s War Revenues
10.Oct.2026
Putin Seeks to Strengthen Russia’s Influence in the Post-Soviet Space Through the CIS
10.Oct.2026
Russia and the South Caucasus: External Pressure, Political Competition and a Crisis of Trust
10.Oct.2026
Peaceful Settlement Between Armenia and Azerbaijan: Moving from Declarations to Implementation
10.Oct.2026
Moldova Ready to Accept as Many Ukrainians as Necessary if Situation Worsens This Winter
09.Oct.2026
Turkmenistan Turns Avaza into a Regional Diplomatic Hub as Caspian, Central Asian and CIS Agendas Converge
08.Oct.2026