ALMATY (Reuters) – Kazakhstan will bar the residents of its two biggest cities, Almaty and Nur-Sultan, from leaving their homes except for work or to buy food or medicines, starting from March 28, the Central Asian nation’s government said on Thursday.
The authorities will scale down public transport in the two cities, bar meetings of more than three people in public areas and prohibit movement of unaccompanied minors.
The government will also close all intercity transport terminals and public spaces in Shymkent, the third-largest city, it said in a statement, in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Kazakhstan has confirmed 109 cases of virus, most of them in Nur-Sultan and Almaty, which have been locked down since last week, albeit with no restrictions on movement within the cities. Two cases have been reported in Shymkent.
(Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
