AIRLINK 62.48 Increased By ▲ 2.05 (3.39%)
BOP 5.36 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.19%)
CNERGY 4.58 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.43%)
DFML 15.50 Increased By ▲ 0.66 (4.45%)
DGKC 66.40 Increased By ▲ 1.60 (2.47%)
FCCL 17.59 Increased By ▲ 0.73 (4.33%)
FFBL 27.70 Increased By ▲ 2.95 (11.92%)
FFL 9.27 Increased By ▲ 0.21 (2.32%)
GGL 10.06 Increased By ▲ 0.10 (1%)
HBL 105.70 Increased By ▲ 1.49 (1.43%)
HUBC 122.30 Increased By ▲ 4.78 (4.07%)
HUMNL 6.60 Increased By ▲ 0.06 (0.92%)
KEL 4.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-1.1%)
KOSM 4.48 Decreased By ▼ -0.09 (-1.97%)
MLCF 36.20 Increased By ▲ 0.79 (2.23%)
OGDC 122.92 Increased By ▲ 0.53 (0.43%)
PAEL 23.00 Increased By ▲ 1.09 (4.97%)
PIAA 29.34 Increased By ▲ 2.05 (7.51%)
PIBTL 5.80 Decreased By ▼ -0.14 (-2.36%)
PPL 107.50 Increased By ▲ 0.13 (0.12%)
PRL 27.25 Increased By ▲ 0.74 (2.79%)
PTC 18.07 Increased By ▲ 1.97 (12.24%)
SEARL 53.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.63 (-1.17%)
SNGP 63.21 Increased By ▲ 2.01 (3.28%)
SSGC 10.80 Increased By ▲ 0.05 (0.47%)
TELE 9.20 Increased By ▲ 0.71 (8.36%)
TPLP 11.44 Increased By ▲ 0.86 (8.13%)
TRG 70.86 Increased By ▲ 0.95 (1.36%)
UNITY 23.62 Increased By ▲ 0.11 (0.47%)
WTL 1.28 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
BR100 6,941 Increased By 63.6 (0.92%)
BR30 22,802 Increased By 233 (1.03%)
KSE100 67,142 Increased By 594.3 (0.89%)
KSE30 22,090 Increased By 175.1 (0.8%)
World

Restaurants, mosques close in 'virus free' Turkmenistan

  • Ex-Soviet Turkmenistan is one of the few countries in the world yet to declare any coronavirus infections.
Published July 16, 2020

ASHGABAT: Restaurants, bazaars and religious buildings were shuttered in Turkmenistan on Thursday as the government imposed a de facto lockdown in the reclusive Central Asian country that has yet to officially declare any coronavirus cases.

The closures come a day after a World Health Organization delegation ended a 10-day mission to the country where they raised concerns over reports of pneumonia cases and called on the government to adopt measures "as if COVID-19 were already circulating".

Speculation has been building that ex-Soviet Turkmenistan's authoritarian government was preparing to admit the country has some coronavirus cases after it recommended earlier this week that residents wear masks because of "dust".

An AFP correspondent saw several shuttered restaurants in the centre of the capital Ashgabat on Thursday.

Olga, a restaurant manager who gave her first name only, confirmed to AFP that the government had ordered her business to close and offer deliveries only until July 23.

An official in the country's committee for religious affairs told the Russian RIA Novosti agency that "mosques, churches and holy places of pilgrimage are closed as a preventive measure against the spread of infectious diseases."

Some bazaars and supermarkets have also closed.

The state-run newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan reported that light aircraft had been deployed as part of a nationwide disinfection campaign aimed at "destroying pathogens of infectious diseases."

"The epidemiological situation abroad continues to remain difficult," the newspaper said.

State television on Wednesday evening showed eccentric strongman President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov wearing a mask for the first time as he was pictured fishing while on holiday.

The khaki green mask he wore matched his army fatigues as he was shown catching four big fish and donating them to a children's summer camp.

Police had previously been seen discouraging citizens from wearing masks and face coverings were absent at mass government events overseen by Berdymukhamedov in recent months -- some of which attracted thousands of people.

Ex-Soviet Turkmenistan is one of the few countries in the world yet to declare any coronavirus infections. Others include North Korea and several Pacific Island countries in Oceania.

Comments

Comments are closed.