Second Georgian cleric tests positive for COVID-19 in US
The US has more confirmed cases of the coronavirus as of now than any other state. Bishop Saba Intskirveli in the photo. Photo: IPN.
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A second Georgian cleric has tested positive for COVID-19 in the United States, bishop of the eparchy of the Northern America Saba Intskirveli has confirmed via social media.
He said that the cleric, Spiridon Narsia, serves in New York and he had no contact with parishioners on the weekend.
Intskirveli urged parishioners to stay home and pray, ‘while I will pray for you from the church.’
He also said that the eparchy has a stock of food and they are ready to help Georgian citizens living in the US.
Earlier on March 25, Intskirveli said that the archpriest in his eparchy, Ioseb Mindiashvili tested positive for the coronavirus.
He identified the cleric and said that ‘nothing must be hidden and we must show a high level of responsibility.’
There have been 215,344 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the US and 5,112 deaths.
Dozens of Georgian citizens have been provided with temporary accommodation and basic needs in France and Spain by the Georgian Embassies to these countries, says the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A total of 9 million GEL (about $2.60m/€2.37m) has already been accumulated in the StopCov foundation created on March 23 to help the poor and disadvantaged get through the coronavirus crisis in Georgia.
A total of 20,500,000 GEL (about $6.24m/€5.70m) has already been accumulated in the StopCov fund as of April 1. The funds raised in the StopCoV fund, that was created on March 23, will be used to meet 'identified needs'.
Georgia has reported four new cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 130. One of the four new cases reported today is connected with Armenia, two cases with France and the source of the remaining one is being identified, Director of Tbilisi Hospital of Infections Diseases Marina Ezugbaia said earlier today.