UZBEKISTAN COVID-19 SITUATION REPORT 23 NOVEMBER 2020 (DATA AS AT 11PM, PREVIOUS DAY)

This Sitrep outlines current information on the COVID-19 outbreak in , and summarizes international partners’ support to the national response effort.

Total Cases: 71,659

Total Recovered: 68,915

Daily new cases: 181

Total Deaths: 603 (=)

Global Info: Text “Hi” to +41 79 893 18 92 (WhatsApp) for the latest WHO global updates and statistics. National Hotline: 1003 / 103

HIGHLIGHTS • New Health Code drafted by Ministry of Health • All kindergartens nation-wide to reopen by end of November

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL UPDATE Cumulative cases by regions as of 22 November: City: 41,467 (+105) Syrdarya: 1228 : 14,412 (+45) Surkhandarya: 1030 Namangan: 2535 : 812 : 2420 (+9) Khorezm: 758 (+1) : 2053 (+4) Jizzakh: 729 (+9) Kashkadarya: 1498 (+3) Fergana: 664 : 1402 Navoiy: 651 (+5)

This chart shows the daily increase in confirmed new cases, as

well as a 5-day moving average which helps smooth out the ‘noise’ from short-term fluctuations by averaging the data from the last five days reported.

This map visualizes data as of 22 November 2020.

SITREP CONTACT: To subscribe to or unsubscribe from this Sitrep, UN Office of the Resident Coordinator please click here. Seraina Petersen ([email protected]) UZBEKISTAN COVID-19 RESPONSE Situation Report | 24 November 2020

Epidemiological update (cont’d) HEALTH RESPONSE • Of the 181 new cases confirmed on 22 November, 105 Health Capacity-Building were detected in Tashkent City, 45 in Tashkent region, • On 23 November, the WHO Regional Office for Europe nine in Jizzakh, nine in Samarkand, five in Navoiy, four and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and in Andijan, three in Kashkadarya and one in Khorezm Control organized a laboratory workshop to discuss (MoH via Public Relations Dept). COVID-19 laboratory-related topics and to exchange • Of the 198 new cases confirmed on 21 November, 109 information. This iteration of the recurring workshop were detected in Tashkent City, 48 in Tashkent region, series focused on the SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid 16 in Andijan, nine in Bukhara, five in Kashkadarya, Diagnostic Test Training Package. five in Samarkand, three in Jizzakh and three in • From 19 to 21 November, WHO, together with the Karakalpakstan (MoH via Public Relations Dept). MoH, organized a training course on Infection • Of the 209 new cases confirmed on 20 November, 126 prevention and control (IPC) in the context of Covid-19 were detected in Tashkent City, 51 in Tashkent region, for general health care staff of . Over eight in Fergana, six in Namangan, four in Bukhara, 100 participants from different health care facilities in four in Jizzakh, four in Samarkand, three in Andijan Andijan region joined the training to improve their and three in Karakalpakstan (MoH on coronavirus.uz knowledge of the main components and measures of and via Public Relations Dept). IPC to be followed in health care settings. The next IPC • Of the 213 new cases confirmed on 19 November, 142 training course is scheduled for health care staff in were detected in Tashkent City, 49 in Tashkent region, from 24 to 26 November. eight in Kashkadarya, six in Surkhandarya, four in • On 18 November, the WHO Country Office convened an Khorezm, three in Bukhara and one in Karakalpakstan online meeting of the Working Group on self- (MoH on coronavirus.uz and via Public Relations Dept). assessment for the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR). Representatives of the IHR national Latest National COVID-19 Response News focal point discussed questions that arose when • As of 22 November, 2,141 patients are being treated in working with the JEE toolkit, addressed concerns about medical institutions, of whom 217 are in serious existing legislative norms, and shared contacts. condition and 49 are in critical condition (MoH via

Public Relations Dept). Health Procurement • Ministry of Health drafts new Health Code. The document proposes the unification of norms, laws and • In the framework of COVID-19 relief efforts, UNDP other regulatory acts regarding healthcare (gazeta.uz). handed over 165 oxygen concentrators, funded by the Coca Cola Foundation, to the Ministry of Health of • All kindergartens nation-wide to reopen by end of Karakalpakstan. November. Currently, 89% of state kindergartens and 80% of non-state kindergartens have resumed their activities. Over 691,000 children are attending these Health Other institutions (podrobno.uz). • The WHO Guideline Development Group advises • President Mirziyoyev meets with medical workers and against the use of Remdesivir for treatment of COVID- teachers in Tashkent. The exchange touched upon 19. Remdesivir is not suggested for the treatment of reforms in education and medicine, with the Head of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, regardless of how State noting citizens’ dissatisfaction with the healthcare severely ill they are, because there is currently no system. The President shared his views on improving evidence that it improves the survival chance nor the conditions in medical institutions, amongst other topics need for ventilation, says a WHO panel of international (kun.uz). experts. This recommendation is part of a living

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guideline developed by WHO with support from the entrepreneurship. The trainings were organized within ‘MAGIC’ Evidence Ecosystem Foundation to provide the Joint Aral Sea Programme of UNDP and UNFPA, trustworthy guidance on the management of COVID-19. funded by the government of Japan, which promotes • On 17 November, in the context of the Central Asian gender equality through income-generation schemes Republics Information Network (CARINFONET), and in and through the mitigation of COVID-19-related coordination with HQ, the WHO Regional and Country economic pressures. Office organized a Q&A session for CARINFONET Member States on ICD-10 (international classification of diseases) coding and on the certification of deaths due to COVID-19, based on a request of the MoH of

Uzbekistan. The session covered practical guidance and approaches for certification and classification of deaths due to COVID-19 and the recording and reporting of COVID-19 cases. Over 200 participants including statisticians, clinicians and decision-makers from attended the session.

WHO Country Office in Uzbekistan provided

simultaneous Russian translation.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSE PRIORITIES

Risk Communication and Community Engagement

• UNDP held a virtual training session to share best practices on women’s rights and care by Swedish experts. The training was attended by the heads and employees of all of Uzbekistan’s 197 Centers for Rehabilitation and Adaptation of Victims of Violence and Suicide Prevention. The training was organized

jointly with the Commission on Gender Equality and the

Ministry for Mahalla and Family Affairs as part of ongoing efforts to address a COVID-19-related surge in gender-based violence.

Socio-Economic Mitigation • UNDP released a new report on ‘COVID-19 and Central Asia: Socio-economic impacts and key policy considerations for recovery’. The report is intended as a tool for governments and partners in Central Asia to

assess the full impacts of the pandemic and drawing adequate response measures. • UNDP organized a series of trainings on traditional production and manufacture of felt products, held in the Bozatau, Karauzyakst and Chimbay districts of Karakalpakstan, in order to encourage women’s

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