Russian-occupied Abkhazia temporarily closes schools due to COVID-19 cases
Vaccination against COVID-19 in Abkhazia is available only with the Russian-produced Sputnik-V vaccine. Photo: Apsnypress.
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All schools in the cities of Gagra and Sokhumi in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region have suspended their classes due to confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Inal Gablia, Abkhazia’s de-facto education minister, told local news agency Apsnypress coronavirus cases had been confirmed for 83 teachers and 150 primary school students, leading to the decision.
Gablia also said teachers would be required to receive their vaccine shots if they wanted to continue working. Vaccination against COVID-19 in Abkhazia is available only with the Russian-produced Sputnik-V vaccine.
A total of 16,622 individuals have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the Russian-occupied region as of January 26.
A number of schools and kindergartens in the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region, in central Georgia, also suspended their classes due to confirmed virus cases in the middle of January.
Representative of the de facto president of the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region on post-conflict issues, Murat Jioev, said Georgia is offering a quantity of vaccine that is not enough for the region and ‘this is nothing more than political propaganda’.
The de-facto leadership of Russian occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) have rejected an offer from Tbilisi to vaccinate health workers and people above 65. Both occupied regions have stated in response to the offer from the Georgian officials earlier today that they are expecting to receive ‘reliable’ vaccines from Russia.
Medical workers and individuals above 65 residing in Georgia’s Russia-occupied Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions will be able to undergo Covid-19 vaccination on Tbilisi-controlled territory, Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality, Tea Akhvlediani said earlier today.
Georgia has reported 18,274 new cases of coronavirus, 8,400 recoveries and 41 deaths in the last 24 hours. The daily positivity rate stands at 21.56%. A total of 133,981 individuals remain infected with Covid-19 in Georgia.