Testing to be ramped up for coronavirus in Georgia due to cases of internal transmission
More than 2,200 have been tested for coronavirus in Georgia so far. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Georgia has expanded the category of people who will be tested for COVID-19 as there have been cases of internal transmission over the past several days.
Head of Tbilisi Hospital of Infectious Diseases Tengiz Tsertsvadze said that Georgia has managed to contain the virus for several weeks and there was no need to test so many people for the coronavirus.
We knew the sources of the virus and all contacts were identified. Now we have cases when people do not know how they contracted the virus. That is why we have the need to test more people for the virus,” Tsertsvadze said.
Who will be tested for the virus?
Earlier, only people who travelled abroad or had contact with foreigners and had symptoms of acute respiratory infection were tested.
Now, people who show no symptoms, but who have traveled abroad or had contact with foreigners or infected individuals will also be tested, in addition to everyone who has symptoms of acute respiratory infection.
The co-chairs of Geneva International Discussions (GIDs) from the European Union, United Nations and OSCE, Toivo Klaar, Cihan Sultanoglu and Rudolf Michalka remain “fully engaged to help address the challenges” created by the coronavirus pandemic.
There are about forty fever clinics throughout the country which are ready to treat patients, said Deputy Minister of Health Tamar Gabunia earlier today. Gabunia noted that many hospitals in the regions had refused to accept patients with fever. She added that the hospitals which can take in patients with fever have already been identified in the regions.
More than 2,200 individuals have been tested for coronavirus in Georgia since February 26, 2020 and only 110 have been positive.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is offering about $6.5 billion to address the immediate needs of developing states, including Georgia, as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A patient who was in critical condition with underlying chronic diseases has recovered from a brush with COVID-19 and will be discharged from the First University Clinic today, said Levan Ratiani, the director of the clinic.
Local strands of the new coronavirus, discovered in patients in Georgia, are now part of a global database of genotypes of the COVID-19, allowing professionals to trace their development.