Gov't Tightening Monitoring of Enforcement of Restrictions Under State of Emergency

Another session of the Inter-Agency Coordination Council on the Coronavirus was held under the leadership of Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia.

Issues pertaining to the restrictions imposed as a result of the state of emergency that is in place throughout all of Georgia, including issues related to the enforcement of the quarantine in the municipalities of Marneuli and Bolnisi, were discussed during the session. Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri noted that representatives of law enforcement agencies are strictly controlling adherence to the restrictions imposed as a result of the state of emergency 24 hours a day, and that relevant measures envisaged by law will be used in case of any violations. According to the minister, the process of the enforcement of the restrictions imposed under the state of emergency is also being closely controlled, and law enforcement officers have already issued several fines in response to violations.

It was noted during the session of the Council that the process of returning Georgian citizens from abroad is continuing. Foreign Affairs Minister Davit Zalkaliani explained that a scheduled charter flight from Vienna arrived yesterday, 26 March, with about 180 Georgian citizens on board who will undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine in one of the hotels provided by the National Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development.

It was also noted during today's session of the Council that 13 out of 81 patients infected with the coronavirus in Georgia have already recovered. Five patients are in a relatively severe, though stable condition. All of them are receiving appropriate treatment. At the moment, 4,505 persons are in quarantine and 247 persons are hospitalized under medical observation.

Furthermore, the Inter-Agency Coordination Council has decided to establish so-called "fever centers" in every region. These clinics will receive patients who are running a fever. According to Ekaterine Tikaradze, Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, such centers have already been established in the region of Kakheti. At this stage, the clinics are being deployed in Kvemo Kartli, and this will gradually be implemented in every region. Information on these clinics will be posted to www.stopcov.ge, the webpage created by the government in connection with the coronavirus, as well as on the official webpage of the Ministry of Healthcare at www.moh.gov.ge.

The Council continues to hold regular meetings under the leadership of the prime minister in order to take coordinated steps.

The Parliament and the Administration of the President of Georgia are actively involved in the Council's work.