PM Gakharia: no grounds to postpone elections amid increased cases of coronavirus
Georgia Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated that parliamentary elections will take place on October 31, despite a serious increase in the number of coronavirus cases. Photo: government of Georgia press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has stated that as of today there are no grounds to postpone the October 31 parliamentary elections despite a sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
Although the number of new infections is surging, we are managing the process,” Gakharia said.
He stated that the government has no illusions that there will be a decrease in the number of coronavirus cases.
We have announced today that restaurants and other entertaining facilities will work until 22:00 p.m in Tbilisi and the Imereti region [starting tomorrow]. We have no expectations that the move will allow for a decrease in new infections. The step will help us to control the speed of the virus’ spread,” Gakharia said earlier today.
He stated that in the coming days Georgia is expected to report more than 1,000 daily cases of coronavirus.
However, our health system will resist the blow,” Gakharia said.
He urged employers to allow their employees to work remotely when possible.
Gakharia appealed to people to use face masks even in open areas.
Following a sharp increase in coronavirus cases in Georgia the government of Georgia has decided that restaurants and all entertainment facilities in the capital city of Tbilisi and in Imereti region must shut at 10 p.m. starting October 16.
Georgia has reported 919 new cases of coronavirus and four deaths earlier today, which is the highest figure since the country confirmed its first case of the virus on February 26, 2020.Tbilisi is on the top of the list with 366 new infections, followed by the country’s coastal Adjara region with 286 cases.13 kindergartens and several schools have been closed again in the capital Tbilisi due to coronavirus.
Head of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze says that coronavirus is expected to claim the lives of an additional one million people worldwide before spring.
Georgia has reported a record-high 680 new cases of coronavirus earlier today, with Tbilisi on the top of the list with 297 new infections. This is the first time over the past several weeks that Tbilisi has outnumbered the number of cases recorded in the country’s coastal region of Adjara.
Patrol police will monitor adhesion to regulations aimed to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. The Georgian Interior Ministry calls on citizens to wear face masks and maintain social distancing at metro stations.
Georgia has reported 887 new cases of coronavirus earlier today, with the country’s coastal Adjara region and capital Tbilisi recording the majority of new infections. 11 patients have died of Covid-19 in the country in the past 24 hours. Georgia reported a record-high 919 new cases of coronavirus yesterday. Georgia has had 15,327 cases of coronavirus since February 26, 2020. 7,613 of the 15,327 patients have recovered, while 124 others have died. As of today 7,590 individuals remain infected with Covid-19 in the country. More than 70 of the infected individuals are in critical condition.
A total of 958 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Georgia over the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 214 people have recovered and four have died. As of now, Georgia has confirmed 16,285 cases of COVID-19 since February 26, including 7,827 recoveries and 128 deaths.
Independent majoritarian candidate for Didube-Chugureti district in Tbilisi and former member of High Council of Justice of Georgia Anna Dolidze says that the government ‘is preparing for the mass fabrication’ of the October 31 parliamentary elections with the use of ballot boxes.