Kyrgyzstan medics face virus threat as cases spike

BISHKEK: Kyrgyzstan admitted Thursday its medical staff face a "huge threat" from COVID-19, with infections within the medical community accounting for almost 20 percent of the Central Asian country's total.

A health ministry spokesperson said that a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) had contributed to the coronavirus infecting about a third of epidemiological staff in the country and more than a hundred medics in all.

"Mostly medics are using disposable masks instead of proper respirator masks," ministry representative Elena Bayalinova told AFP by telephone.

"Doctors have not been trained, especially in the regions. Nurses and hospital kitchen workers did not have the necessary skills -- they did not know how to properly remove protective suits," Bayalinova said. "The country was not ready for the epidemic. It took us by surprise."