Epress.am News from Armenia
Cases of newly infected people with COVID-19 surge in Armenia after the easing of the lockdown. On May 18, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported 218 new cases, while the day before, on May 17, it was record high – 351.
Lockdown is removed, while some precautionary principles remain in Armenia. People are required to carry masks in all public indoor spaces, including restaurants and cafes, shops etc, and in public transport, in addition to wearing gloves. Walking on the street without a mask is not a problem as long as everyone has a mask on them to use in shops, transport etc. Mass gatherings are still prohibited.
The total number of COVID-19 cases registered in Armenia is 5410, of which 2164 have been treated. The NCDC reports that a total of 43410 tests have been conducted for a country under 3mln.
New cases of death are also reported reaching a total of 64 with accompanied chronic illnesses and additional 25 cases, wherein the primary cause of the death of persons infected with COVID-19 was not the infection but something else.
The public health strategy has changed, according to Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan. From now on, no centralized treatment will be conducted for persons demonstrating mild or o symptoms, only heavy and severe cases will be hospitalized. Most public health messages are directed to individual responsibility in not spreading the virus by wearing masks and gloves, frequently changing them, and frequently washing hands and keeping physical distance. The primary health care facilities will from now on be in charge of managing COVID-19 cases.
In the meantime, on May 18, Georgia recorded only 1 new case, with a total number of 702 infections with COVID-19. Only 12 persons have died in Georgia, with 3787 persons in isolation.