5 with flu symptoms to be tested for coronavirus in Tbilisi-based Lugar Lab
The virus, which emerged in China at the end of 2019, has spread to 33 countries. Photo: The Scientist Magazine.
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Five patients with flu symptoms will be tested in the Lugar Laboratory in Tbilisi in order to diagnose whether they are negative for the new coronavirus.
Three among them are the Georgian citizens and the other two are the residents of Iran.
The medical director at Tbilisi Infectious Disease Hospital, Marina Ezugbaia, said that the patients do not have inflammation of the lungs, which is one of the major symptoms of the coronavirus, though samples have been sent to the Lugar Laboratory in order to diagnose whether they are negative for the new coronavirus or not.
One patient, 20, who returned from Italy, has been hospitalized in Kutaisi Infectious Disease hospital. Nestan Cheishvili, the doctor at the hospital said that she was hospitalized with symptoms of acute viral infection, though preliminary analysis confirmed no coronavirus. Her samples have been also sent to Lugar Laboratory today.
Due to the increased cases of new coronavirus - Covid-19 in Italy, passengers arriving from Italy to Georgia are also checked at Georgian airports. The passengers of Bergamo flight have been checked at Tbilisi International Airport today. Epidemiologists said that none of them have suspicious symptoms of new coronavirus.
Georgia has warned its citizens in Italy, especially those in Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont, Emilia Romagna and the Lazio regions, to avoid public areas and observe hygienic practices as Italy faces the worst outbreak of coronavirus-Covid-19 in Europe, with at least three people dead and more than 150 infected.
The virus, which emerged in China at the end of 2019, has spread to 33 countries. It has killed more than 2,500 people in mainland China, with more than 77,000 infected.
Georgia still remains in the low-risk zone for the spread of the coronavirus, though the National Disease Control Centre has begun strengthening efforts in order to efficiently respond to the recent China-born coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, Amiran Gamkrelidze, the head of the National Disease Control Centre (NCDC) has announced today.
Georgia has warned its citizens in Italy, especially those in Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont, Emilia Romagna and the Lazio regions, to avoid public areas and observe hygienic practices as Italy faces the worst outbreak of coronavirus - Covid-19 in Europe, with at least three people dead and more than 150 infected. The ministry urges Georgian citizens in Italy to stick to the recommendations of the Italian government and to remain informed.
A Korean citizen with flu symptoms remains in Tbilisi Infectious Disease Hospital and samples will be taken in order to diagnose whether he is negative for the new coronavirus or not, said Tengiz Tsertsvadze, the head of the hospital.
Head of the Georgian National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze stated earlier today that the reagents arrived in Georgia at Kutaisi International Airport at 1 a.m. this morning.“We are very grateful to the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, with whom we have been cooperating closely over past several years, to make it possible for us to diagnose the new coronavirus in Tbilisi,” Gamkrelidze said.
Georgia’s tourism sector will lose about 30 million GEL per month (about $10.79m/€9.93m) following the coronavirus ban on travel from China and Iran, announces Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has responded to the detection of the first case of the new, China-born coronavirus Covid-19 in Georgia, stating that ‘there is no reason to panic, as the government is in absolute control of the situation.’ “We have no reason to panic. The Health Ministry, all responsible agencies and the inter-agency council [created to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country] are in total control of the situation,” Gakharia said.
The Russian controlled Abkhazia region has announced it is barring entry 'to all foreigners except Russians', including the only crossing point connecting the region with the rest of Georgia because of the new, China-born coronavirus.