Kazakhstan keeps lockdown in place as state of emergency ends

Kazakhstan is keeping its provinces and major cites locked down, the authorities said on Monday and will reopen businesses gradually after a state of emergency introduced in March due to the novel coronavirus pandemic elapsed. Businesses such as large retailers, office buildings, outdoor markets, beauty salons, and gyms will reopen in individual provinces once they report no more than 7% growth in COVID-19 cases per day for seven consecutive days, according to a decree by the Central Asian nation's chief sanitary doctor.

At the same time, the government has dropped the requirements that passengers present medical certificates before flights and be seated with empty seats between them. Domestic flights resumed from May 4. The oil-rich former Soviet republic bordering China has confirmed 5,126 COVID-19 cases with 31 deaths.