Traffic restrictions on major cities to be eased for two days
Traffic in and out of four major cities in Georgia has been restricted since before the start of Easter celebrations in the country. Photo: Ministry of Defence of Georgia.
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The Georgian government has announced a two-day easing off of restrictions on vehicle traffic between major cities and the rest of the country to allow citizens to return to their homes following Easter celebrations.
Between April 27-28, those who left the cities of Tbilisi, Rustavi, Batumi and Kutaisi to join their relatives in countryside to mark the celebration will be able to return to their places of registration.
The cities will be open for vehicle traffic at any time during the two-day window, however no entrance for any other purpose will be permitted as limitations for preventing a further spread of the new coronavirus continue.
The move is expected to allow citizens to return to their homes following the Easter holiday, which typically sees a significant number of people in Georgia leaving larger cities to join their relatives and families in towns and villages for the date.
The ongoing curfew within the cities, enacted on March 21, will remain in force and public transportation operation will also remain suspended.
As of Friday, there are 431 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, with five deaths and 132 recoveries from the infection.
Georgia has reported six new cases of the coronavirus today, bringing the total number of cases to 431.114 of the 431 people have recovered, while five others have died.As of today 310 individuals remain infected with COVID-19 inside the country.5,126 people are under quarantine and 578 others in hospitals. The village of Gvankiti in the Terjola municipality of western Georgia was put on lockdown yesterday.
The Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze has initiated to prohibit driving private vehicles on weekends. He said that only public transport, including Metro and buses may be authorized to operate.
The Georgian parliament has supported the extension of the state of emergency until May 22 to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus in Georgia.97 MPs voted for the decision, while ten others voted against the extension in the 150-member parliament. Independent MPs and the members of the United National Movement did not vote for the bill, citing the absence of a ‘genuine, anti-crisis plan.’ The government promised to present a draft of the plan on April 24.
With countrywide restrictions on private vehicle use imposed by the Georgian government on Friday to ramp up its efforts against the coronavirus outbreak, the capital city's streets were uncharacteristically quiet over the weekend, and citizens were out enjoying springtime.
Georgia has reported 25 new cases of coronavirus increasing the total number of cases to 456. The medical director of Tbilisi Infectious Disease Hospital Marina Ezugbaia told journalists that the high number of new cases was the result of ‘aggressive testing’ which was carried out throughout the country yesterday.
The number of coronavirus cases stands at 496 in Georgia as of today. 149 people of the 496 have recovered, while six others have died. As of April 27, 339 people remain infected with the virus inside the country. 4,833 people are under quarantine and 571 others are in hospitals. The town of Tetritskaro in Kvemo Kartli was placed on lockdown yesterday, after a number of local residents tested positive for coronavirus.
Georgia has begun the first stage of a plan to gradually lift coronavirus-related restrictions today, allowing private vehicles and taxis back out onto the roads, and allowing e-commerce (wholesale and retail), delivery services and open air markets to resume operations.
Georgia has begun the first stage of a plan to gradually lift coronavirus-related restrictions today, allowing private vehicles and taxis back out onto the roads, and allowing e-commerce (wholesale and retail), delivery services and open air markets to resume operations.
Two Georgian citizens have died of the coronavirus in New York and Latvia, the Georgian Foreign Ministry confirmed earlier today.