Kazakhstan confirms first two COVID-19 cases

Kazakhstan's health authorities confirmed the country's first two cases of COVID-19 on Friday.

The two Kazakh citizens, who had separately returned from Germany, have tested positive for the virus and are staying in an infectious disease hospital in Almaty, Kazakh Healthcare Minister Yelzhan Birtanov told a briefing here.

The two patients arrived in Almaty on March 9 and March 12. They did not show clinical symptoms, said the minister.

The Kazakh authorities on Thursday decided to cancel big public events in the coming months, including the Nowruz festival celebrations, the Victory Day military parade and the World Trade Organization ministerial conference in June.

University students will switch to online classes from March 16. Primary and middle school students will also leave early for the spring holidays.