The chief of staff to the Kyrgyz president and eight other employees tested positive for the coronavirus on June 27, bringing the number of infections to 17 within President Sooronbai Jeenbekov's administration.
Jeenbekov traveled to Moscow on June 24 for a postponed commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, but he was unable to attend after two members of his entourage tested positive for the virus.
Two subsequent tests of Jeenbekov have reportedly come up negative as the Kyrgyz head of state continues to work remotely while isolating since his return from Russia.
Kyrgyzstan's government on June 26 rejected proposals to reimpose a state of emergency despite a rise in the number of cases in some cities.
The new infections in the presidential administration include its head, Dosaly Esenaliev, who confirmed his positive test via Facebook.
The presidential press service said all of the employees confirmed with the virus are in isolation, and are working from home under medical supervision.
Kyrgyzstan's deputy health minister said on June 26 that Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov had recommended holding off on reimposing a state of emergency, although officials said they would increase sanitary and epidemiology controls in public places.
Johns Hopkins University lists 4,513 confirmed coronavirus infections in Kyrgyzstan, with 46 COVID-19 deaths, lowest among Central Asia's five post-Soviet republics aside from Turkmenistan's improbable figures suggesting it has no infections.
WHO's European director, Hans Kluge, on June 25 named Kyrgyzstan among 11 countries where “accelerated transmission has led to very significant resurgence that if left unchecked will push health systems to the brink once again in Europe” and beyond.
The 11 also include: Armenia, Sweden, Moldova, North Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, and Kosovo.
