The Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan has issued a warning of deadly ‘unknown pneumonia’ after more than 600 people died of pneumonia in June, a report has said.

In an advisory issued for its citizens living in the former Soviet Bloc country, the Chinese embassy said the new disease has a fatality rate “much higher” than Covid-19.

Kazakhstan borders northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The “unknown pneumonia” in Kazakhstan caused 1,772 deaths in the first six months of the year, including 628 people in June alone, including Chinese citizens, the embassy said in a statement.

On March 16, Kazakhstan announced a state of emergency to combat the spread of Covid-19.

While the lockdown was lifted on May 11, restrictions and quarantine measures were re-imposed in areas which witnessed a surge in pneumonia cases.

The Kazakhstan’s foreign ministry had summoned the Chinese ambassador in April to protest over an article on a Chinese website saying the country was keen to become part of China, the ministry said.

It was a rare move as the two countries avoid criticising each other.