Kazakhstan has reported a rise in cases of the Hong Kong flu, a strain of the A H3N2 virus, which poses a particular risk to children and pregnant women.
Tengrinews.kz says Health Minister of Kazakhstan, Akmaral Alnazarova, addressed the ongoing epidemiological situation in the country, including the spread of this strain. Despite the increase in cases, the Ministry of Health reassured the public that the current situation with acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) is part of the usual seasonal cycle and does not signal a new epidemic.
The minister noted that in Almaty, 13 cases of the Hong Kong flu have been confirmed, mostly among unvaccinated pregnant women. In the capital, Astana, a total of 116 positive samples have been recorded. Since the beginning of the epidemic season (September 1, 2025), Kazakhstan has registered 1,461,819 cases of ARVI — 20% fewer than the same period last year, which saw 1,678,904 cases.
Among those infected, over 963,000 are children under the age of 14, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all cases. However, in the past week, there has been an increase in the number of cases: 183,074 new ARVI cases were recorded, 16% more than during the same period last season. So far, 590 cases of the flu have been confirmed this season, of which 587 are of the A H3N2 strain, and a few isolated cases of the A H1N1 strain have also been detected.
Flu circulation began in the first half of October, slightly earlier than last year. In addition to the flu, other viruses have been detected in patients, including rhinoviruses, parainfluenza, adenoviruses, bocaviruses, coronaviruses, respiratory syncytial viruses, and metapneumoviruses.
Among schoolchildren, more than 6,000 ARVI cases and 13 flu cases have been reported over the past week, accounting for about 4% of all illnesses. In some schools in the capital, mass events have been temporarily banned, and certain classes have shifted to remote learning. However, the wearing of masks has not been introduced yet.
