Hong Kong flu in Almaty: Health Authorities respond to questions about possible restrictions

Tengrinews.kz – The Almaty Department of Sanitary and Epidemiological Control has responded to whether restrictions will be introduced in the city following Astana’s measures amid the surge of ARVI and flu cases.

Hong Kong flu in Almaty

According to Asel Kalykova, Deputy Head of the Department, the ARVI situation in the city remains stable and within controlled levels.

"Thirteen cases of influenza type A H3N2 (Hong Kong flu) have been laboratory-confirmed so far," she said.

Kalykova emphasized that no restrictive measures are currently being considered.

As a reminder, several flu strains are circulating in Kazakhstan, including A H3N2, known for its more severe course. The rise in illness has caused concern among citizens, leading to a spike in demand for antiviral medications in pharmacies.

On Wednesday, November 19, Astana’s Chief Sanitary Doctor Aigul Shagaltaeva signed a decree introducing enhanced sanitary and anti-epidemic measures in the capital.

Earlier, Minister of Health Akmaral Alnazarova reported that since the beginning of the epidemiological season (September 1, 2025), 1,461,819 ARVI cases have been registered nationwide — 20% lower than during the same period last season (1,678,904 cases).

Of these, 963,847 cases involve children under 14 — nearly 66% of all infections.

Due to high infection rates among children, Astana schools moved part of the students to online learning. Following the capital, other regions have also begun switching to remote education formats.