The first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev has tested positive for the coronavirus.
A statement on his official website made the announcement on Thursday.
The statement said “Currently, the First President of Kazakhstan is in self-isolation. Unfortunately, the last test… for the coronavirus infection showed a positive result. There is no cause for concern,”. The statement said that Nazarbayev is “continuing to work remotely.”
Nazarbayev, who turns 80 next month, served as Kazakhstan’s president for close to three decades before handing the reins over to hand-picked successor Kassym-Jomart Tokayev last year.
He retains a number of powerful positions in the authoritarian Central Asian country including the chairmanships of the National Security Council and the ruling party.