Uzbekistan confirms four coronavirus cases, closes border, schools

The woman returned from Paris on March 11 and no symptoms of COVID-19 were detected in her at the Tashkent airport.  Two days later, the woman felt bad and went to a hospital.  She was diagnosed with COVID-19.  She was quarantined.  

45 people who were on the board, members of her family, her colleagues and neighbors, totaling 150 people, were also quarantined. 

Fergana news agency says the woman’s two children and an air passenger arriving from Turkey have also tested positive for COVID-19.       

Uzbek authorities are taking measures to protect the population from the coronavirus.  The Uzbek government said on March 15 it was shutting down schools, colleges and universities for three weeks beginning on March 16 and cancelling all public events, according to Podrobno.uz.   

Uzbekistan’s state airline said on Sunday it was suspending or curbing flights to a number of cities in Western Europe, Asia and the Middle East until the end of April.

The Tashkent government has also barred entry into the country by cars and said it would suspend international trains shortly, state news agency Uza reported.

Meanwhile, Fergana news agency says Uzbek authorities have invited Chinese specialists to assist with combating the coronavirus.