Georgian deputy minister of agriculture and environment tests positive for coronavirus
Georgian Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Iuri Nozadze has been in isolation since last week as his family member tested positive for Covid-19. Photo: Imedi TV.
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Georgian Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Iuri Nozadze has tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, the ministry confirmed earlier today.
Nozadze is among the eight individuals who tested positive for the virus yesterday.
The ministry says that Nozadze’s family member tested positive for the virus last week and since that time he has been in isolation.
Initially he tested negative for the virus. However, a repeat test yesterday confirmed the virus. As he has not been at the ministry since last week, there are no threats of the virus having spread among his employees and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment continues to work in the usual regime,” the statement reads.
As of now Georgia has 23 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 21 of the cases connected with Italy and two with Iran.
No internal transmission of the virus has been confirmed so far.
The government of Georgia, the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) and commercial banks are teaming up to mitigate the negative impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on the tourism sector of the country. PM Gakharia and the chief executive officers of commercial banks signed an agreement earlier today, which will come up with an action plan to support the tourism sector in the coming days.
Head of the National Disease Control Centre (NCDC) of Georgia Amiran Gamkrelidze says that no internal transmission of Covid-19 virus has even reported inside the country and all 23 Georgian citizens who have tested positive for the virus were either in Italy, Iran, or had contact with individuals who traveled in Italy. He said that 11 of the 23 infected individuals belong to two families whose members traveled to Italy in February 2020.
Georgia has eight new confirmed cases of COVID-19 increasing the total number of infected individuals to 23. Reportedly, all of the eight infected individuals had contact with those who have tested positive for coronavirus earlier. Head of Tbilisi Infectious Disease Hospital Tengiz Tsertsvadze that the new cases are again connected with Italy.
Georgia has evacuated 156 citizens from Italy today via a charter flight by Georgian Airways as the Italian government has placed the entire country under lockdown. After thermal screening, the passengers will be placed in quarantine for 14 days.
Georgian schools, universities and kindergartens will remain closed in Georgia until April 1 as a measure to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. The decision was taken by the Interagency Coordination Council’s meeting earlier today. Also, spring compulsory recruiting for compulsory military service has been postponed until April 13.
Yet another individual has tested positive for the new China-born coronavirus in Georgia, increasing the total number of infected individuals to 24. Head of the National Disease Control Centre (NCDC) of Georgia Amiran Gamkrelidze reported today that this new case is also connected with Italy.
De facto officials of the Russian occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia have announced that the Enguri Bridge crossing point, which connects the occupied region with the rest of the country, will close at 8 p.m. on March 14.
The Georgian government has announced that it is working in an emergency, round-the-clock regime after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak of China-born Covid-19 virus a pandemic.Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated earlier today that the emergency mode will help the state, which has 24 confirmed cases of the respiratory infection, to cope with the virus-related challenge more effectively.