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COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia (country)

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COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia (country)
Map of the COVID-19 outbreak in Georgia as of 10 May 2020 per municipality.
Red dots represent medical centers currently treating patients
  Strict quarantine regime
  Confirmed cases reported
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationGeorgia
First outbreakWuhan, Hubei, China
Index caseTbilisi
Arrival date26 February 2020 (4 years, 8 months and 7 days)
Confirmed cases919[1]
Recovered780[1]
Deaths
14[1]
Government website
stopcov.ge

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Georgia when its first case was confirmed in Tbilisi on 26 February 2020.[2]

History

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[3][4]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[5][6] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[7][5]

Timeline

All flights from China and Wuhan to Tbilisi International Airport were cancelled until 27 January.[needs update] The Health Ministry announced that all arriving passengers from China would be screened. Georgia also temporarily shut down all flights to Iran.[8]

On 26 February, Georgia confirmed its first COVID-19 case. A 50-year-old man, who returned to Georgia from Iran, was admitted to Infectious Diseases Hospital in Tbilisi. He came back to the Georgian border via Azerbaijan by taxi.[2][9][10][11]

Template:Float box

On 28 February, Georgia confirmed that a 31-year-old Georgian woman who had travelled to Italy tested positive and was admitted to Infectious Diseases Hospital in Tbilisi.[11]

An additional 29 are being kept in isolation in a Tbilisi hospital, with Georgia's Center for Disease control chief, Amiran Gamkrelidze stating there was a “high probability” that some of them have the virus.[12]

On 5 March, five people have tested positive for the new coronavirus COVID-19 in Georgia increasing the total number of people infected in the country to nine. Head of the Georgian National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze made the announcement at the recent news briefing following today. He said, all of the five people belong to the same cluster who travelled together to Italy and returned to Georgia on Sunday.[13]

On 12 March, President Salome Zourabichvili, in a televised appearance called for calm and unity.[14]

As of 15 March, 33 cases were confirmed, 637 were held under quarantine and 54 were under hospital supervision.[15]

On 16 March, the spokesperson of the Government of Georgia Irakli Chikovani announced special measures and recommendations. The government of Georgia banned entrance to Georgia for any foreign nationals for the next two weeks.[16] The Coordination Council recommended all elderly citizens of Georgia to avoid mass gatherings and isolate themselves.[17] The Government also recommends cafes, restaurants and bars to offer customers the take-away service.[18] 33 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Georgia, 637 persons remain in quarantine and 54 persons are under direct medical supervision in hospitals for 16 March.[19] The government disseminated a special SMS to all phones in Georgia informing population about measures and recommendations.[20]

On 7 May, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced that Georgia will open its borders to foreign citizens on 1 July.[21][22] The state of emergency continued until 23 May.[23]

Prelude

  • 22 January: Amiran Gamkrelidze, head of the Georgian National Centre for Disease Control, warns Georgian travellers from visiting Wuhan, the point of origin of the COVID-19 outbreak. He claims that there is a "small, but theoretical" chance that the virus could reach Georgia.[24]
  • 26 January: Georgian doctors start examining passengers arriving from China at airports for coronavirus-related symptoms.[25]
  • 27 January:
    • Georgian news outlet Alia claims that some medics refuse to check airport arrivals out of a lack of proper safety guarantees. The Ministry of Health denies these allegations.[26]
    • The National Center for Disease Control starts monitoring Chinese workers operating on the construction of a highway in Georgia.[citation needed]
  • 28 January:
    • Georgia announces it will be evacuating its citizens from the Hubei Province of China.[citation needed]
    • Georgia bans the import of live animals, including turtles and ornamental fish, from China. Tbilisi claims the ban will remain in effect until the WHO declares China free from the coronavirus.[citation needed]
  • 29 January:
    • Georgia suspends direct flights with China for two months.[citation needed]
    • Two Chinese sailors stationed in Batumi and showing signs of high fever start being monitored by the NCDC.[citation needed]
  • 30 January: Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia alleges that the country's healthcare system is ready to respond to the new coronavirus if it enters Georgia.[citation needed]
  • 31 January: Two Chinese and two Georgian citizens, one of whom recently returned from Wuhan, are monitored by the NCDC after showing high temperatures. Their blood samples are sent to Germany after their test results come back negative for all the viruses that Georgia is capable at the moment of testing for.
  • 1 February: The Georgian Foreign Ministry "stands with" China as the outbreak continues to expand and thanks Turkey for offering to evacuate Georgian citizens from Wuhan.[citation needed]
  • 2 February: Turkey and France evacuate 5 Georgian citizens from the Hubei Province of China, initial centre of the coronavirus outbreak.[citation needed]
  • 4 February: The Lugar Centre of the NCDC starts testing for the coronavirus after receiving reagents from Germany. It previously had to send test samples to Germany or the Netherlands for confirmation.[citation needed]
  • 10 February: United Airports of Georgia reports a 3% year-on-year decrease in airport traffic in January. Media cites the suspension of flights to China as a potential cause.
  • 20 February: A South Korean citizen with high fever tests negative for the coronavirus in Georgia.[citation needed]
  • 22 February: 34 Georgian citizens recently evacuated from China test negative for the coronavirus while in quarantine in Imereti.[citation needed]
  • 23 February: Georgia calls the outbreak of the coronavirus in neighbouring Iran a "serious concern" and suspends direct flights with the Islamic Republic.
  • 24 February:
    • Georgia warns its citizens visiting Italy, in particular northern parts of the country, to avoid public places and regularly wash their hands as Italy becomes the newest centre of the epidemy. [citation needed]
    • The NCDC assesses that the country remains a "low-risk" zone for the spread of the virus.
  • 25 February: Three Georgians and two Iranians are tested for the coronavirus in Tbilisi. Their results come back negative.[citation needed]

First cases

  • 26 February:
    • A Georgian citizen returning from Iran is diagnosed with the coronavirus at the Georgia-Azerbaijan border, representing the first COVID-19 case. President Salome Zourabichvili and the Health Ministry state there is no need for panic.
    • Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia sets up an Inter-Agency Council for Coordination Against the Coronavirus (IACC), made up of representatives of every major government agency, to manage the situation. The IACC's first decision is to ban flights to Iran.
    • The Economy Ministry predicts a loss of 30 million lari per month in the tourism industry due to the coronavirus.
  • 27 February:
    • The IACC instructs every Ministry to draft an action plan against the coronavirus.
    • Turkish citizens who visited coronavirus-infected countries are banned from crossing the Georgian-Turkish border.
    • 15 individuals with lung disease are taken to the town of Abastumani to be tested.
    • South Ossetian de facto authorities close down the Kartsmani crossing point in Imereti to prevent Georgians from entering the breakaway republic out of fear for the outbreak.
    • Airline Wizz Air reduces its flight frequency to Italian destinations, including a full cancellation of flights to Milan.
  • 28 February:
    • A second case of COVID-19 is detected in a woman who recently travelled to Italy.
    • Russia sends out mobile sanitary brigades to help separatist Abkhazia deal with the virus, as Sokhumi refuses to collaborate with Tbilisi on the outbreak.
  • 29 February:
    • A third case is diagnosed in a patient who had come in close contact with the first patient and had recently travelled to Iran.
    • The government closes schools down until 16 March.

References

  1. ^ a b c "StopCOV.ge". Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b "First Case of Coronavirus Reported in Georgia". georgiatoday.ge. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  3. ^ Elsevier. "Novel Coronavirus Information Center". Elsevier Connect. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  4. ^ Reynolds, Matt (4 March 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  6. ^ "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  7. ^ "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  8. ^ "თბილისის აეროპორტში მგზავრებს "კორონავირუსზე" ამოწმებენ". imedinews.ge. 25 January 2020. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  9. ^ "საქართველოში კორონავირუსის პირველი შემთხვევა დადასტურდა". Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Georgia Confirms First Case of Coronavirus". Civil.ge. 26 February 2020. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Georgia reports second case of coronavirus". Agenda.ge. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  12. ^ Post, The Jakarta. "Belarus, Azerbaijan report first coronavirus cases". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  13. ^ "Georgia confirms five new cases of coronavirus". Agenda.ge. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  14. ^ "სალომე ზურაბიშვილი კორონავირუსთან დაკავშირებით მიმართვას ავრცელებს". imedinews.ge. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Prevention of Coronavirus Spread in Georgia". Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  16. ^ უცხო ქვეყნის მოქალაქეებისთვის საქართველოში შემოსვლა 2 კვირის განმავლობაში იკრძალება, on.ge
  17. ^ საკოორდინაციო საბჭო 70 წელს ზემოთ მოქალაქეებს რეკომენდაციას აძლევს, მოერიდონ საზოგადოებრივი თავშეყრის ადგილებს და „მაქსიმალურად შეეცადონ საკუთარი თავის იზოლაციას“, ipn.ge
  18. ^ მთავრობა რესტორნებსა და კაფე-ბარებს რეკომენდაციით მიმართავს, მოქალაქეებს ე.წ. გატანის სერვისი შესთავაზონ, ipn.ge
  19. ^ საქართველო 2 კვირით საზღვარს კეტავს – მთავრობის გადაწყვეტილება, netgazeti.ge
  20. ^ მთავრობა: აუცილებელი საჭიროების გარეშე სახლიდან არ გახვიდეთ, netgazeti.ge
  21. ^ "Coronavirus live updates | Georgian PM: Country to reopen for international tourism in July". OC Media. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  22. ^ EP|NE (8 May 2020). "Georgia says foreign tourists will be welcomed on July 1". New Europe. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  23. ^ "COVID-19 Information for Georgia". U.S. Embassy in Georgia. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  24. ^ Health official: China-born virus has ‘low but theoretical’ chance of reaching Georgia, Agenda.ge
  25. ^ Passengers inbound from China examined at Tbilisi airport, Agenda.ge
  26. ^ სასწრაფოდ! – რატომ ამბობენ ექიმები უარს აეროპორტში გასვლაზე?, Alia.ge
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