COVID-19 Situation Escalates Again in Armenia, Prime Minister Says

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, announced during today’s government meeting that the situation regarding COVID-19 has escalated again in the country. He noted that 374 new cases of the virus have been confirmed today.

“This is related to the increased mobility of people; we have to live alongside COVID-19, and much depends on individual responsibility,” the Prime Minister stated.

Pashinyan emphasized that it has been agreed that supervisory bodies and police will intensify enforcement of rule compliance. “We must understand that we have red lines; the red line is when our hospital capacities are exhausted, and at that time we must consider making different decisions,” he said.

Arsen Torosyan also reported that there are currently 1,300 regular beds and 170 beds in the intensive care units, with 30 percent of them available. “We noted that the highest number of cases was recorded around July 6, and the lowest number was on September 11, after which the numbers began to rise due to increased mobility and adherence to epidemic regulations,” he explained, adding that within the context of living with the virus, we must continue to wear masks, maintain social distancing, and wash our hands.

The Minister pointed out that there are factors that are difficult to manage, particularly the direct risk of virus transmission in public transport. Currently, the spread of cases is not linked to schools, but a sharp increase could change that.

The Prime Minister concluded by stating that eventually, all countries will be in a similar situation. “Developments show this; a second, but much larger wave has begun in Europe. The Armenian government is 100 percent transparent regarding the coronavirus; we have not changed any numbers,” he noted.