NUR-SULTAN, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Kazakhstan will relax more quarantine restrictions from Aug. 31 as the country's epidemiological situation has improved, the Kazakh Prime Minister's Office has said in a statement.
According to the health ministry, weeks of strict restrictions have yielded significant results, with the COVID-19 infection rate falling by 10 times compared with its peak season, while the number of ambulance calls has fallen by 4.2 times and the occupancy of beds by 80 percent.
Based on the current situation, the Interdepartmental Committee under the Kazakh government decided to loosen more restrictive measures, the statement said.
Starting from Aug. 31, religious sites, swimming pools, fitness centers, cultural facilities and national parks will be allowed to reopen with limited opening hours and visitors. Bus services between cities and regions will also be restored.
A nationwide lockdown in Kazakhstan was in effect from March 16 to May 11, while another lockdown began on July 5 and lasted for more than one month. Since mid-August, shopping malls, trading houses, markets, beauty salons, hairdressing salons and spa centers resumed operation.
Kazakhstan has also restored international passenger flights between Turkey, Ukraine, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.
As of Friday, Kazakhstan logged 105,408 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 95,253 recoveries and 1,563 deaths. In August, the country also reported 24,632 pneumonia cases with COVID-19 clinical symptoms, with 278 related deaths. Enditem
