Marneuli and Bolnisi municipalities in eastern Georgia have been placed under lockdown, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said.
The decision was taken after a local, 62-year-old woman tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday after coming into contact with more than 80 people and spending four days in a local hospital. How the woman contracted the virus is as of yet unknown. Her health condition is critical.
However, Gakharia and health officials stated that the woman attended a religious event, and that ‘86 individuals with whom she had contact have been identified’, adding that the total number of contacts is far more.
Entry to and exit from the municipalities are under lockdown, and the Georgian Defence Ministry has set up checkpoints. All stories, except those offering food, medicine or others of critical importance have been closed. Public transport has been paused indefinitely.
Movement inside the municipality is strongly controlled. Locals are able to move about only to buy food, medical products or see a doctor.
Locals may be able to carry out agricultural work only in line with strict rules. Order inside the municipalities will be ensured by the Interior Ministry.
Local hospital, Geo Hospitals, where the infected patient spent four days, is under quarantine. An open-air hospital has been arranged near the hospital. Doctors will visit all families to check for suspicious symptoms of the virus, Agenda.ge reported.
All those who were in the municipalities at the time of quarantine [who are no residents of the municipalities] will have to stay there for two weeks.
