Foreign states consulting with Georgian epidemiologists on coronavirus containment
One of the most crowded streets of Tbilisi empty due to the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Specialists from foreign states are consulting Georgian epidemiologists on their success in containing the coronavirus, announced the head of Tbilisi Infectious Disease Hospital Tengiz Tsertsvadze on Imedi TV’s 'Imedis Kvira'.
Frankly speaking, there is no better model than ours in the world as of today. They are following our example. The World Health Organization [said this, too]. They contact us every day from the leading countries – Germany, France, Spain – and consult with us”, Tsertsvadze said.
He discussed exactly what measures have brought Georgia this success, and singled out the following ones:
- Prolong the retention phase before the first internal transmission registered in Georgia
- Immediate quarantine in Marneuli, Bolnisi and Zugdidi
- High civic responsibility of Georgian society
- Georgia chooses the right model – stay at home and address special medical units (and not any clinic), which are 24 in total, only when the symptoms occur.
Tsertsvadze said that what makes Georgia also a successful country in this fight is that there have been no cases of death with COVID-19.
The death toll is zero and with this data Georgia is ahead of many countries in the world and almost all the countries in Europe...When the first case of internal transmission was revealed in Georgia we expected that the epidemic would be spread very fast, as it happened in other countries. One week after the first internal transmission we have no significant, dramatic increase of infected people. Of course there will be an increase of infected people in Georgia and we will also have cases of death, but as we have managed to prolong the retention phase we will also be able to be slow by three, four steps compared to other European countries", said Tsertsvadze.
There are 100 people already infected with coronavirus in Georgia.
So far 18 people have recovered from coronavirus. The first case of infection was registered on February 26 in the country and on March 21 a state of emergency announced.
During this time Georgia shut down air traffic starting March 21; closed schools, universities, shops; set up mandatory quarantine zones at border crossings; placed citizens arriving home under quarantine; suspended all forms of intercity transports, including rail.
Earlier today, the government of Georgia announced a nationwide curfew.
Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has confirmed earlier today that 100 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Georgia since the outbreak.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has announced a nationwide curfew starting tomorrow at 8 a.m, ‘to effectively contain the spread of coronavirus in Georgia’. Speaking at a special briefing earlier today, Gakharia said that the government has made ‘fast, brave and effective’ decisions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, that is why the country has only had 100 confirmed cases of the virus since February 2020, including 18 recovered.
Georgian Defence Force servicemembers are ensuring quarantine conditions in eastern Georgia's Marneuli and Bolnisi municipalities using equipment provided by partners from the United States and Germany.
"These are very difficult times not only for the EU, but for our partner countries as well. We are doing all we can to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on human lives and livelihoods. We are responding both to the immediate needs of the health systems, as well as longer term needs to the most vulnerable groups in society and small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of the economies in the six countries,” Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said.
Georgia has reported seven new cases of coronavirus earlier today, with the total number of confirmed cases standing at 98. 78 of the 98 are active cases, as 18 have recovered and two were foreign citizens who have already left the country.4,978 are under quarantine and 266 others in hospitals.
There are about forty fever clinics throughout the country which are ready to treat patients, said Deputy Minister of Health Tamar Gabunia earlier today. Gabunia noted that many hospitals in the regions had refused to accept patients with fever. She added that the hospitals which can take in patients with fever have already been identified in the regions.
More than 2,200 individuals have been tested for coronavirus in Georgia since February 26, 2020 and only 110 have been positive.
Georgia has reported four new cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 130. One of the four new cases reported today is connected with Armenia, two cases with France and the source of the remaining one is being identified, Director of Tbilisi Hospital of Infections Diseases Marina Ezugbaia said earlier today.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has thanked EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell and US Ambassador Kelly Degnan for their efforts to provide rapid support for Georgia in the fight against the coronavirus. Gakharia said that the support of the country’s partners will be particularly essential in the post-crisis period to help the economy.