Breaking: Three Soldiers Test Positive for Coronavirus, Tonoyan

The Minister of Defense of Armenia, David Tonoyan, provided clarifications in response to media inquiries regarding the spread of the coronavirus within the armed forces.

“To prevent the spread of the viral infection within the armed forces, extensive preventive medical measures have been undertaken, creating the necessary conditions to protect soldiers from infection. However, it is impossible to prevent the entry of the virus into the army, as a significant number of soldiers interact daily with the civilian population.

On March 25, samples were taken from three soldiers in a unit not involved in combat tasks. As a result of COVID-19 testing, three soldiers were diagnosed with the coronavirus. One family member of a soldier had previously tested positive for the virus. The cases of the three soldiers are interconnected and relate to one of the primary focal points recorded in the country.

Based on the data from epidemiological studies, the mentioned soldiers were already isolated, which significantly reduced the risks of further spread of the infection. The soldiers are currently hospitalized, and their health conditions are satisfactory, with no pneumonia recorded. One soldier has a slight fever, while the other two show no fever or symptoms characteristic of the disease.

I assure you that high-quality and effective medical assistance is being provided to soldiers exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus; their lives are not in danger. At the same time, the entire spectrum of contacts of the soldiers has been clarified. Those who had close contact and potential contacts have been isolated in predetermined separate areas. They are also subject to daily strict supervision, and necessary conditions have been ensured for them.

Testing for the presence of the virus was also conducted on 32 more soldiers. In this unit, which is located a significant distance from the frontline, barracks conditions have been declared, and the strictest anti-epidemic measures have been implemented, with ongoing medical monitoring.

I must emphasize once again that no cases of coronavirus symptoms have been registered in the Defense Army to date. The armed forces continue to carry out extensive preventive measures. Strict restrictions are applied in all units to prevent the entry of the virus, and daily monitoring of the soldiers' health is established.

During the last month, as a result of the complex anti-epidemic measures implemented in the armed forces and the strict restrictions imposed, there has been a significant decrease in the incidence of other equally dangerous infectious diseases, which undoubtedly indicates the effectiveness of the undertaken measures. Specifically, compared to the same period in previous years, cases of 'acute respiratory infections', 'measles', and 'angina' have decreased fourfold, and currently, there are no cases of intestinal infections among military personnel.

Notably, the incidence of 'pneumonia' has decreased fivefold in recent years, while the number of severe cases of 'pneumonia' has decreased tenfold, and atypical cases with fatal outcomes have not been recorded in the armed forces. I am confident that we will succeed on this front as well.”