Corona Updates
On September 23-24, 259 new cases of coronavirus were detected in Georgia and the number of infected people reached 4399.
Marina Endeladze, representative of the Tbilisi Infectious Diseases Hospital, stated that of the 259 new cases, 164 were detected in the Adjara region, which remains a hotspot in terms of the virus spreading.
"259 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Georgia today. Based on the regions, these 259 cases are distributed as follows: Adjara 164, Tbilisi 34, Imereti 22 (Kutaisi 15, Tskaltubo 3, Terjola 1, Sachkhere 1, Baghdati 2),
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti 15, Gori 1, Marneuli 1, Mtskheta 1. Also, 5 cases were imported from abroad," she said.
Endeladze added that there are 18 critical patients in the country at the moment, and it is impossible to predict how their condition will progress. 26 patients have died in the country since February.
In Adjara, restaurants are only allowed to operate during daytime hours and public transport has been suspended.
The number of recoveries increased by 62 on Thursday, reaching a total since the outbreak of 1705.
5,390 people are in quarantine, 836 under medical examination in hospitals, and 640 in so-called Covid Hotels.
"What is taking place today, especially in Adjara, is the result of increased mobility; however, we must all understand that this was predictable and we were preparing for it," Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated at Thursday's government session.
"We have always been absolutely open and sincere with our citizens, and we have always said that lifting restrictions would logically lead to an increase in the number of infections. Of course, what is taking place today, especially in Adjara, is the result of increased mobility; however, we must all understand that this was predictable and we were preparing for it. We have consistently stated from the very beginning that the fight against the virus consists of several stages. Of course, our first goal was containment, which meant containing the spread of the virus over time as much as possible. This had a logical explanation, whereby at the time knowledge about the virus in the world, let alone in Georgia, was minimal. Of course, resources were minimal as well, therefore, we needed to buy some time, which we did consistently and effectively. As a result, we saved the lives of many of our citizens. This was recognized internationally and is still recognized to this day. Even today, Georgia remains a green country," the Prime Minister noted.
On September 24, the Georgian government announced that from October 1, studies in classrooms will be resumed for I-VI-grade children in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Zugdidi and Kutaisi, while in Poti and Gori, children of all grades will be able to attend lessons.
In addition, studies in universities and vocational schools in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi and Rustavi will continue remotely from October 1.
Schooling in the cities of Tbilisi, Gori, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Poti, Batumi and Kobuleti was transferred to an online regime from September 15, with actual in-school classes postponed until October 1 following a rapid increase in new coronavirus cases.
It is still unknown when children in the Adjara region will be able to return to their classrooms, and the government held off from naming a specific date.