283,000 PCR, 180,000 rapid tests conducted in Georgia since coronavirus outbreak

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.

Imnadze noted that over 4,800 PCR tests are being conducted daily in Georgia.

Imnadze spoke about the epidemiological situation in the Svaneti region which is under the lockdown as of today and noted that 50 people who had already been returned from the Svaneti region went to clinics to test for the coronavirus.

Imnadze noted that all the direct contacts of the first coronavirus infected patient in Mestia are known and noted that some of them were in Lenjeri, Mestia municipality,  while others were in Tbilisi.

To prevent the further spread of the coronavirus in Mestia municipality of western Georgia, the government put the municipality on lockdown earlier this week as 16 people have tested positive in two days.

919 people, who were in the municipality as tourists have been placed in quarantine and 1,000 individuals have been checked for the coronavirus so far with the use of PCR tests.

Meanwhile, seven border guards at Larsi checkpoint, at the Russia-Georgia border in Kazbegi municipality of eastern Georgia, have tested positive for the coronavirus.