59 officially confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) were reported in Tajikistan on Friday, bringing a total number of officially confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country to 5,338 as of the evening of June 19, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population (MoHSPP).  

3,830 COVID-19 patients (+68 people) have reportedly recovered as of the evening of June 19, 2020.

According to a MoHSPP, an official number of the coronavirus-linked deaths remains in the country the same – 51.  

Despite the fact that the number of officially confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country has exceeded 5,330 we know very few about the coronavirus situation in the country. 

Thus, the MoHSPP does not give information about the coronavirus situation in the regional cross section that creates problems to assess the situation.  The reliability of official statistics is also in doubt.

On May 5, President Emomali Rahmon signed a decree dismissing Nasim Olimzoda, who had been serving as the country’s Health Minister since 2017.  The announcement referenced a transfer to another job but did not clarify further.

The director of the Istiqlol Health Center in Dushanbe, Jamoliddin Abdullozoda, has been appointed the new health minister.

The shuffle comes less than a week after Tajikistan acknowledged its first 15 cases of COVID-19 on April 30.

Recently, the head of state has replaced deputy health ministers.