The speaker of the lower house of parliament in Tajikistan has been released from hospital after being treated, according to the Health Ministry, for pneumonia amid earlier denials by several deputies that he had contracted coronavirus.
In a short statement issued on May 15, the Tajik Health Ministry said Mahmadtoir Zokirzoda had been discharged the same day from hospital in the capital, Dushanbe, after successfully being treated for pneumonia.
However, an earlier statement from the ministry — that was briefly removed — said Zokirzoda had been admitted to hospital back on May 5 for pneumonia.
That sparked rumors he had become infected with the coronavirus, although several deputies denied this.
The 63-strong Majlisi Namoyandagon is dominated by President Emomali Rahmon’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Tajikistan has confirmed more than 1,100 cases of coronavirus, and 33 deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Tajikistan did not officially register a coronavirus case until April 30, just ahead of a mission by the World Health Organization to the country.
Still, many in the country doubt the data and believe the government has been underreporting the situation.