UPDATED: Georgia says Czech, Slovak tourists tested positive for Covid-19 abroad, not in Georgia
Drunk Cherry restaurant in Gudauri has reported that three Czech citizens, who regularly visited the site, have tested positive for the coronavirus. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Updated: 12:30
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.
However, several of the facilities in Georgia that the tourists visited while in the country have been recommended to go under quarantine, NCDC said.
Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze says that 30 individuals have already been identified who had contact with the Czech citizen in Georgia, with three of them 'having symptoms of Covid-19.'
She said that responsible state agencies are trying to reveal other contacts.
Earlier: 11:31
Director of Tbilisi Hospital of Infections Diseases Marina Ezugbaia has denied information that three Czech citizens have tested positive for Covid-19 virus in Georgia who regularly visited the Drunk Cherry restaurant in Georgia’s Gudauri ski resort over the past several days.
It is not the correct information. No Czech citizens have tested positive for the virus in Georgia,” Ezugbaia told the media earlier today.
Drunk Cherry restaurant has posted on Facebook that they received information from Georgia’s National Disease Control Centre that three of six Czech tourists, who came to the ski resort on March 4 and were regularly visiting the restaurant, tested positive for coronavirus.
The restaurant said that the whole staff is now under isolation with several of their employees with high temperatures waiting for emergency brigades.
As of now Georgia has 33 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with three new cases added yesterday.
Several of the media have reported that the new cases were the Czech citizens.
Health officials stated yesterday that the three [one in Adjara region of Georgia] had contact with foreigners from the countries which have multiple cases of Covid-19.
The countries which face the severe outbreak of Covi-19. Photo: worldometers.info.
637 people are under quarantine in Georgia and 54 others remain in hospitals under the observation of doctors.
There are 169,924 confirmed cases of Covid-19 worldwide as of now, with 6,521 deaths and 77,776 recovered.
The European Georgia opposition party has urged the government to suspend mandatory pension contributions for eight months due to the situation created by Covid-19 virus.
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.
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.
Travellers from Switzerland, Norway and Denmark will have to present a PCR test for the coronavirus while arriving in Georgia, otherwise they will be placed under mandatory 14-day quarantine. Earlier Georgia introduced the same rules for travellers from China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, Germany, France, Spain and Austria.
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.
One individual who had contact with three people who were recently infected has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, director of Tbilisi Hospital of Infectious Diseases Marina Ezugbaia stated earlier today. The condition of the new patient is not severe, Ezugbaia said. Since February 26, 2020 Georgia has had 34 confirmed cases of the China-born respiratory infection, with one recovered and discharged yesterday.
Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air will suspend all flights except to Budapest from the Kutaisi International Airport in the western Georgian town of Kutaisi from March 18 to April 3, 2020, in order to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in Georgia.