The COVID-19 pandemic in Kazakhstan was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The virus was confirmed to have reached Kazakhstan on 13 March 2020 after two Kazakh citizens in Almaty returned from Germany. That same day, two more cases were confirmed, with one female arriving from Italy in Astana and the other from Germany in Almaty as well. Following the outbreak, on 15 March 2020, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a state of emergency that was initially set to last until 15 April 2020. However, measures were prolonged in order to curb the transmission of the virus, leading to many notable holidays such as Nowruz and the Victory Day being cancelled. On 19 March 2020, a strict quarantine was placed on the cities of Astana and Almaty, where most of the cases had been reported. On 30 March 2020, Atyrau and five cities in Karaganda Region went under a lockdown.
While the state of emergency expired in May 2020, the cities of Almaty and Astana and the regions of Atyrau and Mangystau remained under quarantine measures. During that period, the rate of infections grew again. Nationwide restrictions were reintroduced on 20 June 2020, followed by a strict lockdown from 5 July 2020 that was extended to 2 August before measures were eased on 17 August 2020.
As of 8 January 2023, a total of 33,563,811 vaccine doses have been administered in Kazakhstan.
Background On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003, but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.
Timeline
March–May 2020
On 13 March 2020, two Kazakh citizens in Almaty who had recently returned from Germany were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19. Just two days later on 15 March, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev introduced a state of emergency throughout Kazakhstan from 16 March 2020 to 15 April 2020. As a result, the protection of public order and especially important state and strategic facilities were strengthened, operations of shopping centers, cinemas and exhibitions were suspended, as well as mass gatherings, including family, memorial and sports were prohibited.
By 16 March 2020, the number of cases increased by seven, making the total at the time nine, two in Almaty and seven in Astana.
Strict measures were imposed on 19 March 2020 in the two major cities of Almaty and Astana after cases increased overnight to 33, having 15 and 18 cases respectively. During that period, the two cities were divided into sectional zones and creating roadblocks to control accessibility, limiting the movement by residents, regulating the treatment operations for medical institutions in which the infected patients or who were suspected of coming into contact with virus. All stores and shopping malls were closed down with the exception of grocery stores and pharmacies.
On 17 April 2020, just days after the Tokayev's enacted state of emergency was initially set to expire, Chief Sanitary Doctor Aijan Esmağambetova at a briefing announced that the regime had been extended to 30 April, while not ruling out another possible extension, the quarantine measures would gradually be reduced starting with less than 5% of the increase of COVID-19 cases. Esmağambetova also asserted the possibility in completely ending the measures only if there would be no cases amongst people that were in contact with the infected persons or locally reported cases.
On 27 April 2020, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that the state of emergency would be extended again to 11 May 2020 in which according to Tokayev, the decision was dictated by "current complex reality" and taking the account of epidemiological situation within the country and advice from various health experts and the state commission. Tokayev did not rule out extending the state of emergency from 11 May unless a new wave of infections would occur. He also announced that domestic flights between Almaty and Astana would begin operating again on 1 May 2020 and from there, urged the Kazakhstani public "to carefully consider all precautionary measures, to develop regulations for the interaction of aviation and sanitary-epidemiological services." The decree was signed by Tokayev on 29 April 2020.
In spite of the state of emergency ending on 11 May 2020, quarantine restrictions remained place in Astana, Almaty, Mangystau Region and Atyrau Region with Tokayev embarking it as a "very important for the safety of the population", outlining the "long-term strategic path of development". Chief Sanitary Doctor Aijan Esmağambetova signed a resolution "On further strengthening measures to prevent coronavirus infection among the population of the Republic of Kazakhstan".
June–August 2020 Since the state of emergency being lifted, President Tokayev called on the government and local officials to solve the issues in regards quarantine measures that remained in place, stressing that the Kazakhstani public had failed in continuing following guidelines as restrictions weren't observed properly. Healthcare Minister Eljan Birtanov on 4 June 2020 announced that a second wave of infections had begun in Kazakhstan and warning prior, that placing new restrictions would be a blow to the Kazakh economy expressing his personal opposition to the proposal, noting that the introduction of a strict quarantine is "not a solution."
On 18 June 2020, it was reported that a nationwide restriction in Kazakhstan would be reintroduced from 20 June 2020 following a sharp increase in number of COVID-19 cases as restriction guidelines throughout the regions were lifted off and several government officials including healthcare minister Eljan Birtanov and former president Nursultan Nazarbayev testing positive for the virus, with Tokayev earlier asserting that regional quarantine measures remain in difficult position due to "mass noncompliance by citizens" although confidently assuring that they are "under the control of the government." This led to a cancellation of demonstration for animal rights which were due to be held in Almaty on 20 June and public transport in Astana being shut down for a weekend to carry out disinfection work.
In Astana, confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased dramatically, as did pneumonia cases in general (possibly an indication that many patients are not being tested for COVID-19. An apparent spike in cases on 1 July 2020 was caused by the government changing how it reported cases. Starting on that day, asymptomatic cases were included in the total.
During a cabinet meeting on 29 June 2020, Tokayev announced the possibility in returning a lockdown similarly that was introduced at the start of the pandemic in March in order to "stabilize the current epidemiological situation" by instructing the state commission to form a proposal in carrying out the policy while ensuring centralised control over the distribution of critical resources. On 2 July 2020, the Kazakh government approved a 14-day tighter restriction period starting 5 July 2020 which imposed a ban on mass gatherings and restrictions on movement within the public spaces with Prime Minister Askar Mamin hinting that the quarantine measures could be extended or tightened "depending on the further development of the epidemiological situation in the country."
On 13 July 2020, Tokayev announced that a lockdown would be extended until the end of the month, adding that a "quarantine is necessary to protect the health of citizens, provided that they comply with strict self-defense measures." A cabinet meeting between officials were held the following day on 14 July from which the restrictions would be in place until 2 August 2020 with Askar Mamin urging all Kazakhstanis to strictly adhere to quarantine measures. On 27 July, Healthcare Minister Alexey Tsoi announced that the pandemic situation had stabilised, pointing out that the number of COVID-19 patients in occupancy had decreased from 90% to 47%, suggesting that the easing of restrictions was plausible. However just days later on 29 July, Tokayev instructed the government to extend the lockdown for another two weeks with a subsequent phased mitigation.
On 13 August 2020, the Kazakh government approved plan in relaxing restrictions starting 17 August 2020, while face masks and social distancing would remain intact with employers being advised to maintain remote workplace. During that period, daily rate of infections decreased from 4 to 0.5% and number of recovered patients reached 76%.
October 2020 At a state briefing, Healthcare Ministry representative Bağdat Qojahmetov stated that a strict quarantine would be imposed if the daily rate of infections reaches 30,000, asserting that Kazakhstan's healthcare system is ready to receive up to 70,000 patients with infected with the COVID-19.
Number of restrictions were introduced on 5 October towards international flights by suspending its resumption and limiting passenger travels to Turkey.
On 7 October, Healthcare Minister Alexey Tsoi forecasted possible three scenarios in regard to curbing the pandemic which were: introducing a lockdown in mid-December if only 60% of populace comply with the mask mandate, introducing a lockdown in January if social distancing and 70% mask mandate compliance is ensured, or completely avoiding lockdown if a 100% mask mandate compliance is ensured, outlining that the forecasts emphasise the "effectiveness of preventive measures" as all regions were in the 'green zone'.
At the Central Communications Service on 14 October, Tsoi suggested that another state of emergency could be introduced if the pandemic situation worsens in the country, not ruling out strict measures. From there, he called on all Kazakh citizens to wear masks, practice social distancing, and avoiding mass gatherings in order to prevent state of emergency being enacted.
Since early October, quarantine measures were strengthened in several regions of Kazakhstan. In the cities of Almaty and Astana, monitoring groups were instructed to carry out inspections for potential restriction violations in enterprises and in.
November 2020 After an increase of COVID-19 cases by 3.7 times in November to which according to Healthcare Minister Alexey Tsoi, were occurring in the regions of East Kazakhstan, North Kazakhstan, Pavlodar, Kostanay and Akmola as they made up 70% of all positive cases within Kazakhstan and were classified in the 'red zone'. Tsoi ruled that restrictions could be strengthened from December–January, outlining that the outcome depends on how situation would be managed now.
December 2020 On 20 December 2020, as daily increase of cases drew 0.4% and reproductive rate reached 0.9%, it was announced that nationwide restrictions would be strengthened starting 25 December until 5 January 2021. Prime Minister Askar Mamin at a conference call of the Interdepartmental Commission (IMC) instructed local officials to take necessary restrictive measures in stopping the transmission of the virus and attention to the need of high-quality sanitization in public spaces and educational institutions as well as preparation for sites to be used as COVID-19 vaccination clinics. As strict guidelines reached the 5 January deadline, the city of Shymkent in turn had extended it to 25 January 2021.
2021
January 2021