Uzbekistan dismisses reports of new global coronavirus wave

The situation with the new wave of coronavirus in Uzbekistan remains stable, according to Nurmat Otabekov, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Wellbeing and Public Health. His remarks were shared by Furkat Sanayev, the press secretary of the Ministry of Health, via Telegram.

Otabekov rejected claims of a global COVID-19 resurgence, stating, “Reports that a new wave of COVID-19 is sweeping the world are completely unfounded and not close to reality. While the NB.1.81 strain, first detected in China in March this year, has been spreading in some countries, there is no evidence of a widespread outbreak.”

He also emphasized that the World Health Organization (WHO) discontinued daily updates on coronavirus infections as of April 13, 2024, and that national agencies such as Russia’s Rospotrebnadzor followed suit by halting daily reporting from May 12. These actions, he said, indicate a stable global epidemiological situation.

“It’s no secret that some groups seek to stir public anxiety by spreading sensational information about the coronavirus. Given this, it would be accurate to interpret current claims of a global wave as misleading. The likelihood of a new global wave is close to zero,” Otabekov added.

Addressing the domestic situation, Otabekov affirmed that Uzbekistan currently maintains a stable epidemiological condition.

“The population now treats coronavirus similarly to other common respiratory illnesses. We have the tools to diagnose and treat it, and collective immunity has developed. This is not unique to Uzbekistan—it reflects the global trend,” he said.

Although a limited number of COVID-19 cases are still being identified in Uzbekistan, Otabekov noted that only patients with symptoms severe enough to require hospital care are being admitted. Others are being treated on an outpatient basis, as the illness is now largely mild in form.

He also commented on virus mutations: “There have been around 45,000 mutations of the coronavirus worldwide, but only 10–15 have led to illness. There is no need to panic over mutations.”

A national monitoring system is in place to track which viruses are circulating in Uzbekistan, and samples are regularly analyzed in specialized laboratories, Otabekov confirmed.

It is worth noting that earlier reports suggested a surge in COVID-19 cases in China, Singapore, and Thailand. In Thailand, at least 46 deaths were linked to a recent outbreak centered in Bangkok, which coincided with the Songkran (Thai New Year) holiday in April. According to medical experts, large public gatherings and water-based festivities during the holiday contributed to the virus’s spread.