One Georgian citizen infected with COVID-19 cured
Both Georgian individuals, which have ben infected with COVID-19 in Iran have tested negative after 14-day quarantine. However, they both still need to be tested again for the final confirmation. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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One Georgian citizen who had tested positive for the new China-born coronavirus in February has been reportedly cured
Medical director of Tbilisi Infectious Disease Hospital, Marina Ezugbaia stated today that the first individual who had tested positive for COVID-19 back on February 26 after returning from Iran, has now tested negative.
Ezugbaia also added that another individual, who had also travelled to Iran and had direct contact with the first infected Georgian citizen, has also tested negative.
However, Ezugbaia noted that only in case s/he again tests negative for COVID-19 in 24 hours, s/he will be considered healthy as well.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Meanwhile, a Georgian citizen in Italy, who had also tested positive for coronavirus earlier in March, has also also been cured.
As of today, Georgia has confirmed 30 cases of coronavirus, including four minors. Reportedly, all of the patients are dealing with the virus without further complications.
Although the healthcare officials said the country has the cases of internal transmission of the virus now, they do not consider it necessary to declare the national emergency in Georgia.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
The Georgian service of Radio Liberty has reported that there are nine hospitals in the country which have the capacity to accept the patients in need of quarantine. These hospitals are in:
- Tbilisi (four);
- Gori (one);
- Sachkhere (one);
- Kutaisi (one);
- Batumi (one);
- Zugdidi (one).
Georgia has suspended flights with a number of countries to prevent the spread of the China-born coronavirus, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation now.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
However, Georgian authorities call on the citizens to stay calm claiming there is no need to panic as the country has enough groceries and other household products.
Three individuals have tested positive for the new China-born coronavirus in Georgia, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 33. All of the three had contact with foreigners from the countries, which are currently the largest centres of the outbreak.
Georgia and Russia will temporarily ban travel from March 16 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. No restrictions will apply to cargo transportation. Movement will also be temporarily suspended with neighbouring Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said at a meeting with the heads of local grocery chains that the population should not face any shortage of household products amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Georgia has confirmed five new cases of COVID-19 increasing the total number of infected individuals to 30. Meanwhile, the first individual who tested positive for COVID-19 back on February 26 after returning from Iran, has now tested negative, which means that s/he is getting well.
What support can business expect?
The government of Georgia has presented an anti-crisis plan for Georgian businesses in order to ease the burden caused by the coronavirus crisis. The government responded to the demand of the hotels, restaurants, tourist agencies and tour operators in Georgia and decided to postpone payment of property and income tax by four months.
Georgian National Disease Control Centre (NDCD) says that one Czech and one Slovak who traveled in Georgia between March 4 and 9 in a six-member tourist group have recently tested positive for Covid-19 in their countries, and have informed the Georgian NCDC of their status, which ‘shows their high sense of responsibility.’ The NCDC says that while in Georgia the tourists had no symptoms and did not call doctors.
The Georgian government has announced a temporary, two-week closure of its borders for all foreign citizens, with exceptions, to avoid the further spread of the Covid-19 virus. The ban will come into effect starting March 18, at 00:00. The government says that Georgian citizens [and their family members] who want to come back to the country will be able to use the flights of Georgian Airways or Turkish Airlines.
Starting tomorrow mini-buses, so-called ‘marshrutkas’, will not serve passengers in Tbilisi and sport and spa venues will be closed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as the country has had 34 confirmed cases of the respiratory infection since the end of February. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated earlier today that public transport - busses and metro - will continue to work in a regular mode and will be disinfected on a daily basis.
Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air will temporarily suspend flights to Austria, France, Germany and Spain from the Kutaisi International Airport in the western Georgian town of Kutaisi, to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19. In particular, flights will be suspended from March 16 to April 3, Kutaisi International Airport announced earlier today.
Mestia municipality in western Georgia, one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country, has been placed on lockdown as 16 people have tested positive in the past two days in the municipality for the coronavirus. People will not be able to enter or leave the municipality without the police’s consent. Tourists who are now in the municipality will be placed under quarantine in hotels where they are currently located (if the hotels meet the recommendations of Georgia’s Health Ministry) or will be transported to other quarantine zones.