Head of NCDC: ‘Georgia plans to test 6,000-8,000 people daily for Covid-19 in autumn’
Head of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze says that people in Georgia have become too calm due to the low infection rate ‘which is not good as the virus still exists.’ Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Georgia plans to test 6,000-8000 people daily for Covid-19 in autumn, Head of the National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze stated today after a meeting with the Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.
Gamkrelidze said that as of today, the country is able to test 4,500 individuals for Covid-19 daily, and it is also planned to increase the number of the laboratories, which will be able to diagnose the new coronavirus.
At this moment 18 private and state laboratories are able to diagnose the virus with PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, while in July, the total number of the laboratories will increase to 24. New regulations will come into force, according to which each hospital with 100 and more beds will be obliged to have PCR technology and to test patients for Covid-19 within a maximum 24 hours”, said Gamkrelidze.
Gamkrelidze also responded to six new coronavirus infections, stating that out of them, one is an individual from the quarantine zone, who entered Georgia from Russia via the Upper Larsi border-crossing point.
The Disease Control Centre has started in-depth epidemiological research to identify contacts of the other four newly infected patients. The source of the sixth patient has been already identified… Do not have the illusion that we defeated the coronavirus”, Gamkrelidze said.
Amiran Gamkrelidze once again urged people to stick to the recommendations despite the fact some restrictions have been lifted in the country.