コロナ患者「ゼロ」主張のトルクメニスタン、「ほこり」対策でマスク着用奨励

【アシガバートＡＦＰ＝時事】新型コロナウイルスの感染者は一人もいないと主張する中央アジアのトルクメニスタン政府は13日、「ほこり」対策としてマスクの着用を国民に奨励した。（写真はトルクメニスタン首都アシガバートでマスクを着け歩く女性ら）
　同国政府はまた市民に対し、理由を明示しないまま、最低１メートルのソーシャル・ディスタンシング（対人距離の確保）を行うよう求めた。
　トルクメニスタンは世界でも数少ない、新型ウイルス感染者がまだ確認されていない国の一つ。旧ソ連の構成国で、石油資源が豊富な同国は厳しい統制が敷かれていることで知られる。
　国家情報局による１３日の発表には、空気中の「ほこりの飛散量が高い」ため、保健省が市民はマスクを着用すべきと推奨していると記されていた。
　保健省は「全ての人々に、上気道を保護するために個人用の保護装備を使用することを強く勧める」としている。
　同日、首都アシガバート最大の市場は消毒作業のために休場となった。別の市場２か所では、マスク着用者のみ入場が許され、検温も実施された。検温は、新型ウイルス感染者を検知する目的で世界的に行われている。
　同国の発表について、世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）に電子メールでコメントを求めたが、これまでに返答は得られなかった。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/07/15-13:23）

The government of reclusive Turkmenistan, which insists that the Central Asian country has never had a single coronavirus case, recommended on Monday that residents wear masks because of dust.
It also requested that people in the tightly-controlled country maintain a social distance of at least one metre (three feet), without giving an explanation as to why.
The announcement came after a World Health Organization delegation arrived in Turkmenistan last week for a 10-day mission examining the country's response to the pandemic.
Turkmenistan -- a tightly-controlled, oil-rich, ex-Soviet state -- is one of the few countries in the world yet to declare any coronavirus cases.
In a statement published by the state information agency on Monday, the health ministry said people should wear masks because of high concentrations of dust in the air.
It is strongly recommended that everyone use personal protective equipment to protect the upper respiratory tract, the ministry said.
Officials also asked Turkmens not to stand too close to air conditioners after spending time outside, in a country where summertime temperatures regularly exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
The World Health Organization did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the statement.
- Temperature checks -
Few people were wearing masks on the streets of the capital Ashgabat, where the largest bazaar was closed for disinfection Monday.
Two other markets were only allowing people wearing masks to enter. Customers were given temperature checks on entering -- a measure rarely required for large amounts of dust, but one regularly used worldwide to identify COVID-19 infections.
A 28-year-old man, who gave his first name, Nuri, told AFP that he had been surprised when traffic police pulled him over him and threatened to fine him for not wearing a mask.
(The road policeman) decided not to fine me in the end, after he found a mask in his car and put it on, Nuri said.
Baili, a 42-year-old woman who works as a civil servant, said officials had asked all government employees to wear a mask, but did not mention coronavirus as a justification.
They told us that this is advised by the Ministry of Health, because there are a lot of sick people in the world due to poor ecology, Baili told AFP.
They gave masks to everyone in the organization and we were told to wear them all day.
Drivers of public transport and taxi services donned facial protection for the first time last Monday as the WHO delegation arrived.
Police had previously been seen discouraging citizens from wearing masks and face coverings were absent at mass government events held in recent months, some of which were attended by thousands of people.
The WHO in June began recommending that people wear masks on public transport and in other situations where physical distancing not possible.
Last month the foreign ministry dismissed as fake news a US embassy health alert warning Americans over potential coronavirus cases in Turkmenistan.