Georgia & the World: Coronavirus Updates

The week has seen more and more countries announcing their first cases of coronavirus-related infections and deaths. Indonesia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Scotland and the Dominican Republic have all confirmed their first cases of the Covid-2019 in the past seven days, while the US reported its first, and then second, fatal cases.

China’s latest data on the coronavirus outbreak reported 42 new deaths. The new report took the death toll in China to 2,912, and worldwide to 3,050. The number of patients who have recovered is said to be 45,153.

The epidemic continues to boom in Europe. In Italy, the epicenter of the virus outbreak in Europe, the number of people infected jumped in a day, the total number as of Monday being 1,694. France also saw an increase, the number now standing at 130. However, perhaps noting one fact rather than these numbers would have been enough to represent the growing concerns in Europe: the Louvre, a museum that has survived wars, has now closed down because of the fear of coronavirus.

In the East, the novel coronavirus is showing no signs of slowing down either. Iran has reported 11 more deaths from the virus, which brings the country’s death toll to 54, the most outside of China.

Having Armenia and Azerbaijan report their first coronavirus cases increases the concern in the South Caucasus. Georgia has shut and is disinfecting public spaces and schools, warning the country’s citizens to follow hygiene rules to keep from further spreading the virus.

Monday’s reports say that Georgia has three confirmed cases of the coronavirus. All these patients are citizens of Georgia and are being treated in the Tbilisi Infections Hospital. Two were in Iran, and one, a woman of 31, flew back home from Italy. Their condition remains stable, and on Monday morning the TV media reported that the patients do not have a temperature.

On Sunday, Amiran Gamkrelidze, Director of the National Center for Disease Control, presented a report on the coronavirus situation in Georgia. While talking numbers, he also mentioned the flights canceled and the ones still coming into Georgia.

“It is very important to monitor people coming from high-risk countries. The flow of people from Iran and China has been almost suspended, while many are still coming into Georgia from Italy. Different quarantine and self-isolation regimes are being implemented countrywide. 119 people have been placed in quarantine,” Gamkrelidze said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on Georgian citizens to refrain from traveling to Italy, especially in its northern regions, given the high prevalence of coronavirus in the country.

On Monday morning, Doctor Mairna Endeladze reported to the press about the conditions of the 19 people in the isolation ward of the Tbilisi Infections Hospital.

“Currently, we are awaiting the results of the examination of eight patients. The health of all patients, including the three infected with coronavirus, is stable and satisfactory. We have enough places allocated in the quarantine zone. There are 19 patients with suspicious symptoms; however, the process of receiving new patients is ongoing. All of them are citizens of Georgia who traveled to Italy and Iran," the doctor said.

The neighboring countries of Armenia and Georgia have both shut their public schools to ensure the spread of the virus goes no further. In the former, the schools were shut for a week, while Georgia announced schools will be shut from March 2 to 16. During the suspension, the school buildings are being put through intensive disinfection works in hopes of preventing the further spread of the virus.

The order was given by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of Georgia, which further reports that schools are being sanitized using 10 different disinfectants. Kindergartens, which have also been shut, will also be subject to disinfection, as will public transportation. In addition, all state colleges and many private schools have also closed for two weeks, making the health of their students their priority.

On Sunday, in order to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, Georgia’s Interagency Council recommended the abolition of crowded events in public places. The information was soon provided to local governments, who acted accordingly, postponing and cancelling the planned large events throughout the country.

Late on Sunday night, the disinfection works were also taken into the underground of Tbilisi: the Tbilservice Group carried out disinfection works in 54 underground tunnels. Romeo Mikautadze, the head of the company, says that the disinfection works will continue as necessary in the following days.

Republic Hospital in Tbilisi has 18 patients who are being monitored but none have yet been diagnosed with coronavirus. The number of patients in the Infections Hospital changes by the minute, but Sunday night was the first night when they didn’t bring in patients with possible coronavirus symptoms since Georgia joined the coronavirus craze.

Georgia now has eight people who are being closely monitored, the results of whose tests will be reported shortly. Keep up to date with the latest on georgiatoday.ge.

By Nini Dakhundaride

Image source: Tbilisi City Hall