WHO Says In Touch With Kazakh Gov't Amid Reports Of Unknown Pneumonia, Growing COVID Cases

WHO Says in Touch With Kazakh Gov't Amid Reports of Unknown Pneumonia, Growing COVID Cases

The World Health Organization (WHO) is in contact with the authorities in Kazakhstan amid Chinese officials' warning of unknown pneumonia "deadlier than the coronavirus" in the Central Asian country and resurging case numbers of the COVID-19 lung disease, the agency's spokesman told Sputnik

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) The World Health Organization (WHO) is in contact with the authorities in Kazakhstan amid Chinese officials' warning of unknown pneumonia "deadlier than the coronavirus" in the Central Asian country and resurging case numbers of the COVID-19 lung disease, the agency's spokesman told Sputnik.

Earlier in the day, the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan warned its citizens about an outbreak of an unknown type of pneumonia with a higher mortality rate than COVID-19 spreading in the Central Asian nation.

"There are a wide range of potential explanations for pneumonia, of which one is COVID-19, which we know is circulating in Kazakhstan. More than 10 000 laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported by the national authorities over the past 7 days," the spokesman said in an email.

"As case numbers are increasing, the country has recently re-introduced a range of physical and social distancing measures. We are currently in contact with the authorities in Kazakhstan to understand situation developments and provide support as needed," he added.