TASHKENT – Uzbekistan has decided to cancel the mandatory COVID-19 rapid test for all visitors upon arrival from Tuesday, according to the Uzbek Health Ministry.

“If visitors have a negative result of the PCR test for coronavirus infection taken within 48 hours, no express test is needed,” said the country’s special commission on COVID-19.

Earlier this month, Uzbekistan was tightening pandemic restrictions as the first case of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus was confirmed in the country.

Starting from Jan. 15, all visitors to Uzbekistan were required to pass a rapid test at airports, train stations and border checkpoints in spite of their PCR test results. Uzbekistan has so far registered 216,186 COVID-19 cases and 1,545 related deaths.