PM Gakharia: gov’t has no plans to impose coronavirus restrictions in Kazbegi
PM Giorgi Gakharia said that the Georgian government continues to keep the epidemiological situation under ‘full control.’ Photo: government press office.
Tweet 
Share
Georgian PrimeMinister Giorgi Gakharia has dismissed media reports that the government has plans to impose coronavirus restrictions in Kazbegi municipality of eastern Georgia, as seven border guards in Larsi checkpoint, at Russia-Georgia border, have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Gakharia said that the government continues to keep the epidemiological situation ‘under full control’.
Gakharia stated that 54,205 truck drivers, who arrived at Georgian borders have been tested for the coronavirus.
He said that 788 of the 54,205 truck drivers tested positive for the coronavirus.
If even one of the truck drivers who tested positive for the coronavirus had entered the country freely, he may have caused serious problems. We will continue to monitor the truck drivers very closely,” Gakharia said.
All truck drivers are tested for the coronavirus at the border and if they test positive for the virus they are denied entry into the country.
Seven border guards of Georgian Interior Ministry, who serve in Larsi checkpoint ,have tested positive for the coronavirus.Photo: GHN.
Gakharia said that the government has acted swiftly to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus in Mestia municipality of western Georgia which was put on lockdown earlier this week.
He stated that 919 people, who were in the municipality as tourists, have been placed in quarantine and 1,000 individuals have been tested for the coronavirus so far.
Gakharia said that the National Centre for Disease Control will continue to test the people in Mestia municipality for the coronavirus.
Georgia reported 14 new cases of the coronavirus earlier today.
12 of the 14 new patients are from the Lenjeri village of Mestia municipality.
As of today 203 people remain infected with COVID-19 in the country.
What support can business expect?
The government of Georgia has presented an anti-crisis plan for Georgian businesses in order to ease the burden caused by the coronavirus crisis. The government responded to the demand of the hotels, restaurants, tourist agencies and tour operators in Georgia and decided to postpone payment of property and income tax by four months.
Georgia has reported 14 new cases of the coronavirus earlier today, bringing the total number of cases to 1,278. 1,058 of the 1,278 patients have recovered, while 17 others have died. As of today 203 individuals remain infected with COVID-19 in the country. Mestia municipality in western Georgia and Karajalari village of Gardabani municipality in eastern Georgia remain on coronavirus lockdown.
The Georgian Interior Ministry reported earlier today that its eleven employees have tested positive for the coronavirus. All of them feel well and epidemiologists are now actively studying their contacts. Over 20 individuals have already been transferred to the quarantine zone, the Interior Ministry reported.
Mestia municipality in western Georgia, one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country, has been placed on lockdown as 16 people have tested positive in the past two days in the municipality for the coronavirus. People will not be able to enter or leave the municipality without the police’s consent. Tourists who are now in the municipality will be placed under quarantine in hotels where they are currently located (if the hotels meet the recommendations of Georgia’s Health Ministry) or will be transported to other quarantine zones.
As of now, 751 tourists are in Georgia, while the number of business visitors since Georgia has opened its borders to several countries amounts to more than 4,000, said Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia earlier today.
Georgia will wait for studies and communicate with partner organisations as Russia has registered the first coronavirus vaccine for use, claiming that the vaccine ‘gives sustainable immunity’ and is safe.
Since the arrival of coronavirus in Georgia, a total of 283,000 people have been tested for coronavirus with PCR in Georgia, while over 180,000 have been tested with rapid tests in the country, said Deputy Head of the National Disease Control Centre Paata Imnadze.
Georgia has reported five new cases of the coronavirus earlier today. Two of the five new patients are from the Lenjeri village of Mestia municipality which is on coronavirus lockdown, two new cases are imported (one is a truck driver), while the remaining one contracted the virus from an infected individual.Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control says that only two of 600 individuals in Mestia have tested positive for the coronavirus over the past several hours.
Nine coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Kazbegi municipality, eastern Georgia, said Mayor of Kazbegi municipality Alexandre Zagashvili, noting the ‘epidemiological situation is calm and under control.’
The epidemiological situation is under control but the coronavirus has not yet been defeated, said Head of the National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze, urging citizens to observe all the recommendations of the Georgian Health Ministry.