Gov’t issues new decree in response to coronavirus
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The Georgian government has issued a new decree to prevent the spread of the new, China-born coronavirus Covid-19, making amendments in the January 28 decree following the confirmation of the first case of the coronavirus in the country yesterday.
The decree instructs various state agencies to present their action plans against the spread of the respiratory infection and their budgets by March 1, 2020.
The decree says that the state must ensure the treatment of infected individuals with the new coronavirus [if their number increases], without any delay or difficulties in treatment of other individuals in the country.
The state agencies must also ensure wide involvement of the media and public around the issue and provide updated and correct information to the public regarding the coronavirus.
The state agencies and ministries will present their plans this week. Photo: government of Georgia press office.
- The Georgian Health Ministry and the National Disease Control Centre must ensure provision of information on the screening procedure and the forwarding of samples to the lab of the World Health Organisation for additional studies if it is required. They must also place individuals with suspicious symptoms in quarantine, inform and train medical personnel.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs must coordinate all preventive measures regarding the coronavirus and safety of medical institutions, as well as assist in the transportation of patients.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be charged with informing foreign embassies regarding the measures taken by the Georgian government against the spread of the coronavirus. The ministry must also inform the Georgian government regarding the Georgian citizens living in the countries experiencing the spread or the outbreak of the virus, as well as to discuss visa restrictions with countries with large numbers of infected people.
- The Ministry of Finance was tasked to ensure the management of passengers arriving in the country via international airports and checkpoints, as well as transit passengers and collecting anamneses.
- The Ministry of Economy must inform the tourism industry regarding the coronavirus situation in the country and make decisions on the suspension of direct flights.
- The Ministry of Education must ensure preventive measures at educational institutions.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has responded to the detection of the first case of the new, China-born coronavirus Covid-19 in Georgia, stating that ‘there is no reason to panic, as the government is in absolute control of the situation.’ “We have no reason to panic. The Health Ministry, all responsible agencies and the inter-agency council [created to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country] are in total control of the situation,” Gakharia said.
Georgia has imposed a travel ban on Iran, after a Georgian citizen who recently travelled there has tested positive for the coronavirus. The intergovernmental coordination group ld by Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia gathered on Wednesday after the first case of the infection has been confirmed in the country earlier that day.
Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze announced today that a Georgian citizen who recently travelled to Iran for business has tested positive for the coronavirus. Tikaradze said that the individual who returned to Georgia via Azerbaijan yesterday was immediately delivered to the Tbilisi infectious disease hospital and did not have any communication with other citizens, except for border guards.
Georgia’s tourism sector will lose about 30 million GEL per month (about $10.79m/€9.93m) following the coronavirus ban on travel from China and Iran, announces Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava.
The General Consulate of Turkey in Georgia reports that Turkish citizens who have visited China, Iran, South Korea and Italy in the past 21 days will not be allowed to enter Georgia to prevent the spread of the new, China-born coronavirus Covid-19.
15 individuals have been placed under quarantine for two weeks and will be under the supervision of medics while they are tested for the new coronavirus in the Lung Diseases Rehabilitation Centre of Abastumani, a small town in Georgia’s Samtskhe-Javakheti region.
The Russian-controlled Tskhinvali authorities have announced the closure of the last, Kartsmani crossing point in Sachkhere municipality, connecting the region with the rest of Georgia ‘to prevent the spread of coronavirus.’
Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air will reduce the number of flights to several destinations in Italy, including from Georgia’s Kutaisi International Airport, due to a decrease in demand for flights as the coronavirus spread in Italy.
No new cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Georgia, with 11 patients who have recently come back from countries experiencing an outbreak of the new coronavirus testing negative, head of the Tbilisi Hospital of Infectious Diseases Marina Ezugbaia stated earlier today.She said that the only man having the coronavirus in Georgia feels good and needs no special treatment.
Public schools will be closed in Georgia until March 16 as a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus. As of today, three Georgian citizens have tested positive for COVID-19, while 170 others, who have been travelling to countries with high risk of the virus, remain under the quarantine in Georgia.
Individuals placed in quarantine or self-isolation for two weeks amid the coronavirus outbreak will be compensated by their employers per an order released by Georgia’s Ministry of Health, reports the press office of the Ministry.
Georgia has confirmed the fourth case of China-born coronavirus Covid-19. The infected individual is a citizen of Georgia who came to the country from Italy on Sunday, head of the National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze stated earlier today. He stated that 20 individuals have already been identified who had contact with the infected individual.