EU, WHO deliver critical COVID supplies to Georgia's frontline health workers
The shipment is one of the largest donor packages delivered to Georgia to fight the pandemic. Photo via European Union in Georgia.
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Healthcare workers on the frontlines of battling the COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia received supplies for the effort from the European Union and the World Health Organisation this week.
Respirators, face masks, goggles, face shields and gowns were delivered to those involved in the critical work against the outbreak, with the complete shipment including 1,5 million pieces of personal protective equipment.
A release from the EU and WHO said the package amounted to "one of the largest cargos of protective equipment to arrive in Georgia with donor support". The shipment included 5,000 face shields, 13,200 protective goggles, 30,000 isolation gowns, 1,000,000 medical masks and 328,000 respirator masks.
These supplies will safeguard those in the frontlines of the COVID-19 response, and ensure that the health system is well prepared in case of additional needs in the near future," the release said.
The items in the package, checked for compliance to quality and safety standards before delivery, will equip healthcare workers of the Lugar Centre for Public Health Research, nine regional labs of the National Centre for Disease Control, Emergency Situations Coordination and Urgent Medical Assistance Centre.
Beside the shipment, a future EU and WHO assistance effort for Georgia will involve "training for healthcare workers and frontline responders. The assistance is part of the EU's €400 million (almost GEL 1.5 billion) support for Georgia during the pandemic and economic recovery from it.
Health agencies have identified 13 new cases of COVID-19 in Georgia on Saturday, with the Karajalari village of the southern Gardabani municipality still under quarantine to contain a rise in reported cases since the last few days.
Georgia has reported 19 new cases of the coronavirus earlier today, many of the new cases were reported in Gardabani municipality of eastern Georgia. The government of Georgia has placed the Karajalari village of Gardabani municipality under quarantine earlier today to prevent the further spread of the virus. Roads to and from the village have been blocked by police and drones are being used to monitor the area. About 1,000 locals of Karajalari village have already been tested for the coronavirus.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has welcomed EU leaders’ agreement on a post-coronavirus recovery package, involving €750bn (£677bn; $859bn) in grants and loans to counter the impact of the pandemic in the 27-member bloc.
The World Health Organization (WHO) sees many positive signs from different countries in the fight against the new coronavirus outbreak including Georgia, noted Catherine Smallwood, WHO's senior health emergency officer for Europe.
Georgia has reported 14 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the number of active infections to 195.
Four of the eight new cases are imported (two of the four are truck drivers), one is a medical personnel, one is from Lilo open market in Tbilisi, one is from Gchiani settlement of Gardabani municipality (eastern Georgia), while the remaining one does not know how he contracted the virus.
Georgia has reported 10 new cases of the coronavirus earlier today, bringing the total number to 1,155. Five of the 10 new cases are connected with the Gachiani cluster (Gardabani municipality), four are imported (two of the four are truck drivers) and in one case, the source is being identified and contacts are being investigated.