Health officials: coronavirus peak predicted in early December in Georgia, more infected than reported
Head of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze says that Georgia will receive the coronavirus vaccine which will be approved by WHO. Photo: IPN.
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Head of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Amiran Gamkrelidze says that many more people are infected with coronavirus in Georgia than official figures say this.
He stated earlier today that according to predictions of international health institutions Georgia will hit peak infection in early December.
We do not know how long the peak will last,” he said.
Gamkrelidze stated that the government must impose further local restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus.
We have more daily cases than are officially reported as there are many asymptomatic patients and the patients who have a mild form of the virus and have not addressed medical institutions for testing,” Gamkrelidze said, adding that daily cases are still surging.
He said that 3,128 new cases of coronavirus have been reported today, ‘which is not a decrease.’
Gamkrelidze named the groups which will be vaccinated first. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Gamkrelidze stated that less than 8,000 individuals have been tested for coronavirus in Georgia in the past three days (due to the weekend and a day off) instead of around 12,000 which caused the decrease in the figure compared to the previous days.
He stated that the government is expected to impose further restrictions in the coming two days.
Gamkrelidze stated that the coronavirus vaccine will be largely available starting from the spring of 2021.
He said that Georgia will receive the vaccine which will be approved by the World Health Organisation.
It will be the vaccine of Oxford, Moderna of Pfizer,” Gamkrelidze said.
He stated that Georgia has already ordered vaccines for 700,000 individuals (1,400,000 doses, as one individual must be vaccinated twice) and will have to pay 17 million USD for this.
Georgia has already paid four million dollars,” Gamkrelidze said.
He stated that initially the medical personnel, elderly people and the individuals in risk groups will be vaccinated.
The government of Georgia has announced that it will not place a systemic lockdown into effect today as Georgian media outlets had earlier reported. Vice-PM Maia Tskitishvili says that the media reports were ‘wrong and misleading.’ She stated that the government will exercise a ‘more effective control’ on wearing facemasks, as ‘it is one of the most effective measures to prevent the further spread of coronavirus.’ Tskitishvili said that the opposition’s election-related rallies sparked a surge in new infections.
The Georgian Clinics Association has urged the government to open 100 to 500-bed field hospitals near big clinics which will be equipped with essential medical equipment to fight the coronavirus, as well as heating and air conditioning systems.
Planned operations will be postponed until March 1, 2021 announced Georgian Health Minister Ekaterina Tikaradze. "We have had a number of cases where an individual who was not infected with Covid-19 went to the clinic for a specific operation and after the operation he/she was confirmed positive with the infection. Therefore, we decided to limit planned surgeries and postpone the delay until March 1," Tikaradze told local Imedi TV.
Georgia has reported 3,958 new cases of coronavirus, of which 2,157 were registered in the capital city of Tbilisi, 417 in the Black Sea Adjara region and 537 in the Imereti region. As for recoveries, 3,531 people recovered in the past 24 hours while the total number of recoveries has reached 89,170.
All public and private schools will continue studies remotely until the end of the 1st semester in Tbilisi and nine other big cities due to the rapid increase in the number of new coronavirus cases in the country.
Georgia has reported 3,071 new cases of coronavirus, 3,366 recoveries and 34 deaths in the past 24 hours. 18,197 individuals remain infected with Covid-19 in Georgia as of today. Georgia has had 114,889 cases of coronavirus since February 26, 2020. Since then 95,581 individuals have recovered, while 1,085 others have died. 6,145 patients are undergoing treatment in hospitals as of today. 886 of the 6,145 patients are in critical condition. 324 of the 886 critical patients are on artificial ventilation.
Georgia has reported 3,801 new cases of coronavirus, 3,200 recoveries and 39 deaths in the past 24 hours. 18,759 individuals remain infected with Covid-19 in Georgia as of today. Georgia has had 118,690 cases of coronavirus since February 26, 2020. Since then 98,781 individuals have recovered, while 1,124 others have died. 6,165 patients are undergoing treatment in hospitals as of today. 986 of the 6,165 patients are in critical condition. 452 of the 986 critical patients are on artificial ventilation.