Tajikistan’s Inconvenient Truth: Authorities Hide COVID-19 Cases

Despite the fact that researchers from many countries have developed and distributed new Coronavirus vaccines, the epidemic has, nevertheless, claimed the lives of thousands of individuals for nearly two years. Despite early signs of the outbreak and the rising death toll in many areas of the world, authorities in some countries are attempting to keep precise figures on the number of people infected or died by COVID-19 from being published. Tajikistan, which shares a border with China, was one of the only countries to disregard early signs of the epidemic. According to the Tajik Ministry of Health’s most recent official data, the country has not yet encountered a single case of COVID-19. Tajik officials have made contradictory statements regarding the country’s status as the epidemic ravaged the world. Tajik authorities argued there had been no cases of COVID-19 infections in their country. Meanwhile, more cases of Coronavirus are being reported in Tajikistan by physicians, laboratory staff, and patients’ relatives, while the “Asia Plus” News Channel reported that 100 new Coronavirus cases have been recorded. These frightening findings serve as yet another stark reminder that Emomali Rahmon’s despotic policies have failed and brought Tajikistan to the brink of catastrophe. However, the deaths of many people sparked fears about the pandemic’s impending wave in impoverished Tajikistan. Officials in Tajikistan, however, denied the viral illness even exists, saying that all of the fatalities were due to seasonal respiratory diseases. Since January 2021, Tajikistan’s Ministry of Health has not reported any new instances of COVID-19 infection. New cases of COVID-19 infections were reported at a meeting of the Tajikistan headquarters combating COVID-19 on June 21, chaired by Tajik Prime Minister Rasoulzadeh to evaluate the pandemic scenarios. As a result, the Tajik Ministry of Health has implemented new health measures, including mandatory quarantine for all incoming passengers, as well as penalties for breaching health protocols and failing to wear masks on public transportation. Tajik officials seem adamant that the country’s borders should not be closed as road closures and flight disruptions would inflict considerable economic harm on Tajikistan’s crumbling economy.

Could Tajikistan become a new Coronavirus epicenter?