The News in Brief
Monday, March 30
By Liza Mchedlidze
Georgia on the verge of mass pandemic, health official calls on Georgians to stay home
The director of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health Amiran Gamkrelidze stated on March 28th that the contacts of the new Covid-19 cases have not been identified.
“We have no information on how these people got infected. We are hoping that we are able to identify contacts in one of the cases out of three, but with others, there is a chance we might not be able to. In case this happens, we are under a very high risk that an inner outbreak will begin. This is alarming.”
The statement implied there is a high chance that the unidentified contacts of the infected patients are unknowingly infecting others.
Gamkrelidze once again called on Georgians to act accordingly to preventive measures:
“In the upcoming month, Georgians celebrate their greatest holidays. Because of this, despite everything, to protect the lives of our citizens, we have to act accordingly to preventive measures and take epidemiologists’ recommendations into consideration. If not, there are chances of a mass outbreak to begin in Georgia within these four weeks.”
Gamkrelidze noted that if people do not take these rules seriously, similar situations such as in Italy or Spain will repeat in Georgia and the situation will become uncontrollable.
“I think that people are less cautious, they are walking in the streets, and are still gathering. The country is under the state emergency, on the edge of mass outbreak. This can convert into uncontrollable events similar to Italy, France, Spain. Everybody knows what's happening in these countries, and they have far more stability in the economics and healthcare system. The danger is real.”
He discussed the importance of social distancing, saying that it is the most powerful weapon against the Covid-19 outbreak.
“We should stay home, especially elderly with chronic diseases. It is crucial that everybody strictly obeys quarantine rules,” he added.
As of March 29th, the total number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in Georgia is 91. 4717 people are in quarantine and 18 patients have recovered.
Georgia on the verge of mass pandemic, health official calls on Georgians to stay home
The director of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health Amiran Gamkrelidze stated on March 28th that the contacts of the new Covid-19 cases have not been identified.
“We have no information on how these people got infected. We are hoping that we are able to identify contacts in one of the cases out of three, but with others, there is a chance we might not be able to. In case this happens, we are under a very high risk that an inner outbreak will begin. This is alarming.”
The statement implied there is a high chance that the unidentified contacts of the infected patients are unknowingly infecting others.
Gamkrelidze once again called on Georgians to act accordingly to preventive measures:
“In the upcoming month, Georgians celebrate their greatest holidays. Because of this, despite everything, to protect the lives of our citizens, we have to act accordingly to preventive measures and take epidemiologists’ recommendations into consideration. If not, there are chances of a mass outbreak to begin in Georgia within these four weeks.”
Gamkrelidze noted that if people do not take these rules seriously, similar situations such as in Italy or Spain will repeat in Georgia and the situation will become uncontrollable.
“I think that people are less cautious, they are walking in the streets, and are still gathering. The country is under the state emergency, on the edge of mass outbreak. This can convert into uncontrollable events similar to Italy, France, Spain. Everybody knows what's happening in these countries, and they have far more stability in the economics and healthcare system. The danger is real.”
He discussed the importance of social distancing, saying that it is the most powerful weapon against the Covid-19 outbreak.
“We should stay home, especially elderly with chronic diseases. It is crucial that everybody strictly obeys quarantine rules,” he added.
As of March 29th, the total number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in Georgia is 91. 4717 people are in quarantine and 18 patients have recovered.