Authorities in Turkmenistan have strengthened measures to ward off the spread of the coronavirus even as they continue to deny a single coronavirus case has been registered in the country.
RFE/RL correspondents in the Central Asian nation reported on July 25 that teams of workers have been spraying streets with disinfectant while people are being told to wear masks at markets.
"People just got used to not wearing masks. Now masks are required again. Starting from [July 25], children in kindergartens have to bring in antiseptic wet wipes. All this creates panic among the population. People say that if the authorities admitted there was coronavirus, it would show that they weren’t prepared," one RFE/RL correspondent said.
Another correspondent noted that in the capital, Ashgabat, streets over the weekend were filled with employees from the sanitation and epidemiology station spraying chlorine solutions in public areas.
"The authorities' attention shows the seriousness of the situation," the correspondent said.
The correspondents said Turkmenistan is considering introducing new restrictions starting on August 1. According to health-care sources, the government is currently working on a concrete action plan which if approved will see another round of restrictions put in place from August 1.
Turkmenistan's government still clings to its narrative that the country has no cases of coronavirus -- even though practically no one believes the claim.