Passengers inbound from China examined at Tbilisi airport
Head of the Georgian National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze stated earlier this week that there is a “low chance” that the new virus might reach Georgia. Photo: Georgian Health Ministry/Facebook
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Passengers travelling from China to Georgia are being examined for a new strain of the coronavirus that originates in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Georgian doctors are examining passengers as well as providing them with information on the symptoms of the virus upon arrival.
Particular attention is being paid to the passengers, who are arriving from high-risk regions. Photo: Georgian Heath Ministry/Facebook
The novel coronavirus is most commonly spread from an infected person to others through the air by coughing and sneezing. Its symptoms may include:
- fever
- cough
- shortness of breath
Head of the Georgian National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze stated earlier this week that there is a “low chance” that the new virus might reach Georgia.
However, health officials are following the World Health Organisation’s preventive measures.
Passengers with temperature above 38°C will be sent to hospital for further treatment. Photo: Georgian Heath Ministry/Facebook
As of now, there are now 1,372 confirmed cases of coronavirus across China, though most are concentrated in those provinces closest to Hubei, BBC reports.
Reportedly, the virus has killed at least 56 people and infected almost 2,000 since its discovery in the city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.
The China Global Television Network released a video showing that the first coronavirus patient in East China's Zhejiang Province has been reported as cured:
A 46-year-old man has become the first patient in east China's Zhejiang Province to recover from the coronavirus. The man left the hospital on Friday after undergoing a one-week treatment.
Head of the Georgian National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze stated earlier today that there is a ‘low chance” that a new strain of a coronavirus which has killed nine in China may reach Georgia.
Studies at Georgian public schools and kindergartens have been postponed until January 21 due to the spread of flu. Up to 640 people are being treated in the country's hospitals for the virus, 39 of them are receiving critical care. According to official data 10 have lost their lives to the swine flu.
The diagnostic tests, which are necessary to enroll in Georgia's Hepatitis C elimination programme, will be available for free. Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze recently said that the diagnostic tests cost about 140–360 GEL.
About 63 cases of influenza have been reported in the last 3 weeks and 95% of them were H1N1, known as the swine flu, reports director of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Amiran Gamkrelidze.
The Georgian Health Ministry has dismissed reports by Georgian media outlet Alia that medical personnel have refused to check air passengers at Tbilisi International Airport for a new strain of the China-born coronavirus “due to a lack of proper equipment and safety guarantees.”Alia cited one of the doctors as saying that medical personnel were not given proper safety equipment during the checks at the airport “which places our and the lives of our family members at risk” if an infected individual comes into the country.
Georgia's National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has launched preventive measures against the China-born coronavirus in places populated by Chinese all over the country.
Georgia temporarily suspends direct flights with China to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Georgia, the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency (GCAA) reports. The suspension of flights will be in place until March 29 of 2020.Chinese aviation authorities and the airline company China Southern have already been notified about the flight suspension.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani announced today that Georgia stands with China amid the outbreak of the new coronavirus. FM Zalkaliani also thanked Turkey for arranging a flight to evacuate Georgian citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei province, where the new coronavirus originated.
Georgian citizens are being evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei province, where the new coronavirus originated. Turkey has evacuated three Georgian citizens among other passengers, while France has evacuated two. Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has thanked both countries for arranging flights.
Georgian citizen Nini Davlianidze, who is currently in the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei province, reported today that the situation is serious, but there is no reason to panic. Davlianidze is one of those, who refused to be evacuated from Wuhan, where the new coronavirus originated.
Georgia has evacuated 34 of its citizens from China amid the coronavirus outbreak. Although none of them have the symptoms of the China-born virus, they will still be placed in two-week quarantine.
Head of the Georgian National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze reported yesterday that the worsening of epidemiological situation in Iran amid the coronavirus outbreak is “a serious concern” for Georgia, as the number of infections is increasing there.
The Government of Georgia has made a decision to suspend direct flights with Iran amid the recent coronavirus outbreak. The Foreign Ministry announced today that this aims to prevent the spread of the virus to Georgia and to protect its citizens.