Georgia warns citizens in Italy as country faces worst outbreak of coronavirus in Europe
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Georgia has warned its citizens in Italy, especially those in Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont, Emilia Romagna and the Lazio regions, to avoid public areas and observe hygienic practices as Italy faces the worst outbreak of coronavirus - Covid-19 in Europe, with at least three people dead and more than 150 infected.
The ministry urges Georgian citizens in Italy to stick to the recommendations of the Italian government and to remain informed regarding the coronavirus via governmental webpages: http://www.salute.gov.it/nuovocoronavirus and http://www.protezionecivile.gov.it/home
In the regions of Lombardy and Veneto, a lock-down is in place in several small towns.
For the next two weeks, 50,000 residents will not be able to leave without special permission, BBC reports.
Officials have yet to find the first carrier of the virus in the country.
The virus, which emerged in China at the end of 2019, has spread to at least 29 countries.
It has killed more than 2,500 people in mainland China, with more than 77,000 infected.
Iran has also confirmed 43 cases of the virus and eight deaths. Georgia suspended direct flights with the country yesterday.
The Government of Georgia has made a decision to suspend direct flights with Iran amid the recent coronavirus outbreak. The Foreign Ministry announced today that this aims to prevent the spread of the virus to Georgia and to protect its citizens.
Georgia has evacuated 34 of its citizens from China amid the coronavirus outbreak. Although none of them have the symptoms of the China-born virus, they will still be placed in two-week quarantine.
Three Georgian citizens, who have been evacuated from China amid the recent China-born coronavirus, have arrived in Tbilisi via Dubai. Luka Bukhrashvili, Nino Vashalomidze and Ani Tatishvili have gone through the required medical observation at the airport.
Head of the Georgian National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze stated earlier today that the reagents arrived in Georgia at Kutaisi International Airport at 1 a.m. this morning.“We are very grateful to the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, with whom we have been cooperating closely over past several years, to make it possible for us to diagnose the new coronavirus in Tbilisi,” Gamkrelidze said.
Five patients with flu symptoms will be tested in the Lugar Laboratory in Tbilisi in order to diagnose whether they test negative for the new coronavirus.