PM Gakharia: more local restrictions may be imposed, less Covid-19 patients should be hospitalised
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has stated that opposition rallies are expected to cause a sharp increase in coronavirus cases. Photo: government of Georgia press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week, has stated that the country needs to broaden the scale of local coronavirus restrictions to make the measure more effective amid election-related street protests.
Gakharia said earlier today in an online conference that the opposition demonstrations are expected to cause a sharp increase in new cases of coronavirus.
We have had 2,401 new cases of coronavirus today. Of course the rallies in the street will bring about more quickly the peak of coronavirus cases in Georgia [expected in mid-November]. There will be a more complicated situation than we had expected, as demonstrations are directly connected to the surge of new cases,” Gakharia said, adding that no nationwide lockdowns will be declared.
Gakharia stated that it is important for individuals to move in self-isolation as soon as they show symptoms of the virus.
The opposition parties, who claim that October 31 parliamentary elections were fabricated, have plans to take to the streets on November 8. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The move will slow the speed of the spread of the virus,” Gakharia said, and added that more people should be rapid-tested for coronavirus for them to know where to undergo treatment in a timely manner.
He stated that necessary medical treatment must be available in the hotels ‘starting today’, where the Covid-19 patients are placed who have a mild form of the virus and have no opportunities for self-isolation.
All steps will allow us to decrease the number of coronavirus patients in hospitals from 26 per cent to 15 per cent, which is very important for the health system to work effectively,” Gakharia said.
Vice-Parliament Speaker Maia Tskitishvili has stated that new, local restrictions may include prohibition of movement at late hours, stopping of public transport in several locations, the closure of malls and other measures.
Georgia has reported 2,401 new cases of coronavirus, 2,289 recoveries and 20 deaths in the past 24 hours. 15,332 individuals remain infected with Covid-19 in Georgia as of today.Georgia has had 49,218 cases of coronavirus since February 26, 2020. Since then 33,459 individuals have recovered, while 401 others have died. 4,489 patients are undergoing treatment in hospitals as of today. 638 of the 4,489 patients are in critical condition. 293 of the 638 critical patients are on artificial ventilation. 1,127 Covid-19 patients are in hotels, while 3,160 individuals are in quarantine.
Chairperson of the Georgian Central Election Commision (CEC) Tamar Zhvania met with the diplomatic corps and representatives of international observation missions to respond to questions about discrepancies at voting stations which have caused controversies.
All eight opposition parties who crossed the one per cent election threshold in the October 31 parliament elections have signed an agreement earlier today not to take up their mandates in parliament. 12 other opposition parties, who were unable to enter the legislative body, also signed the agreement and stated that the elections ‘were not legitimate as they were fabricated.’ All 20 signatory parties have stated that they will continue to fight against the government.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has tested positive for coronavirus. The prime minister’s press office says Gakharia feels well and will stay home to fight the disease. The news follows his announcement yesterday via Facebook that he had gone into self-isolation after one of his security guards tested positive for coronavirus the day before.
Coronavirus has spread to a nursing home of the west Georgian city of Kutaisi in the Imereti region.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) reports that 11 district election commissions (DECs) have corrected results from the October 31 parliamentary elections, annulled data of three portable ballot boxes and corrected results in nine cases.
The ruling Georgian Dream party Executive Secretary Irakli Kobakhidze was questioned at the State Security Service of Georgia over his recent statements concerning the ‘revolutionary scenario’ which he had claimed the opposition was planning to develop amid the parliamentary elections.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has urged opposition parties to ensure strict observance of all recommendations, rules and restrictions during their election protests imposed to prevent the further spread of coronavirus.
Head of the Task Force operating under the Interagency Coordination Council Aleksandre Khojevanishvili announced at a briefing today that the number of total confirmed cases of COVID-19 has increased to 54,852, while the number of total recoveries has reached 39,773.
Starting November 9, a curfew will go into effect in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Rustavi, Zugdidi, Gori and Poti between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. amid an uptick in coronavirus cases. Vice Prime Minister Maia Tskitishvili announced at a news briefing earlier today that the interagency coordination council has made a decision based on the epidemiological situation in the country and the increased cases of infection.