Tick-bite surge in Shymkent: Kazakhstan recorded 475 tick bite cases seeking medical help between January and May 2026, with no Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever cases reported; authorities say most bites happened during outdoor recreation or livestock work and continue spring disinfection plus animal treatments. One Health coordination: A new Regional Secretariat under the One Health for Pandemic Prevention, Food Systems Resilience, and Ecosystem Health program was set up to coordinate zoonotic disease, antimicrobial resistance, and food safety work across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Healthcare policy move: Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Health plans to strengthen control over the dispensing of antibacterial drugs. New medical industry project: Kazakhstan is set to launch a gelatin and bioactive bone matrix plant, alongside other regional agro- and livestock investments. Public health capacity gap in sport: Kyrgyzstan lacks an anti-doping lab, so samples are sent to Kazakhstan; officials discussed a draft law on strengthening anti-doping mechanisms. Food safety and trade risk: Russia announced a sweeping ban on many imports from Armenia, including fruits, vegetables, seeds, and some goods used in pharma/perfumery, citing pest detections; it also plans to block transit via Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Maternal and child emergency: In Aktobe, two 11-year-old schoolgirls found a newborn wrapped in bin bags under a tree and alerted police and an ambulance, with the baby rushed to hospital.