The latest stories:

• Georgian Orthodox Church remains unyielding as Easter celebrations approach
• Georgia’s homeless ‘at high risk’ during COVID-19
• Analysis | How COVID-19 could increase mortality rates for all age groups in Georgia
• Opinion | The conflict between Church and state during a pandemic endangers us all
• In pictures | Tbilisi’s first night under curfew
• Analysis | Air pollution in Tbilisi nearly halved by COVID-19 measures
• Azerbaijani students ‘beaten’ after complaining about quarantine conditions
• In pictures | Tbilisi in a state of emergency
• Azerbaijan arrests opposition activists during Covid-19 outbreak

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That’s it for today, join us again tomorrow for more Coronavirus live updates.

Georgia quarantines Lentekhi district

The Georgian government is locking down the Lentekhi district in Western Georgia.

‘We made a decision to enforce a full quarantine in the Lentekhi district, which means that the same measures will be taken as in Marneuli and Bolnisi Municipalities’, spokesperson for the Prime Minister Irakli Chikovani said on Friday. 

The lockdown means that entering or leaving the district will be restricted and the local population will be allowed outside only for urgent necessities, such as buying food and medicine, or accessing healthcare services.

Georgian officials locked down the municipalities of Marneuli and Bolnisi on 23 March, after domestic transmission of COVID-19 was confirmed. 

Krasnodar Krai to pay lump-sum to low-income residents

The press service of the administration of the Krasnodar Krai has reported that low-income families of the region will receive a single lump-sum payment, to help mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The payment will automatically be received by families who are already registered with the social welfare service of the region. Low-income families and those living alone will receive a lump sum of ₽5,000 ($68) while large low-income families will receive ₽10,000 ($136).

A total of ₽552 million ($7,513,705) has been allocated for the scheme from the Krasnodar Krai’s reserve fund.

Georgian doctor accused of sexually harassing quarantined woman 

A doctor in Georgia has been accused of sexually harassing a woman in quarantine during a medical examination. According to women’s rights group Sapari, the male doctor touched her inappropriately and suggested that the alleged victim fully undress so he could check her lungs.

On Thursday, Baia Pataraia, the head of Sapari, said in an online briefing that the measures the doctor suggested the patient take were completely unnecessary for the medical procedure.

‘The girl rejected the doctor’s plea to fully undress. After he undid her bra and examined her lungs, he demanded she lie down in order to examine her joints. During the “examination of joints”, he touched her inappropriately numerous times’, Pataraia said.

She added that she had consulted with numerous doctors all of whom confirmed that examining a coronavirus patient did not require examining her joints. 

Read the full story: Georgian doctor accused of sexually harassing quarantined woman.

Armenian and Georgian students to return home from the US

Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced that today 70 students, 35 of whom are citizens of Armenia, will return to Georgia from the US on a special flight. 

According to Gakharia, the travel of the Armenian students has been organised at the request of Armenian authorities. 

Georgian government denies increase in domestic violence during pandemic

Domestic violence has not surged during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgian authorities said in a statement on Friday.

The statement reads that, despite the crisis triggered by the spread of COVID-19, a strict policy against domestic violence is being enforced. 

The Georgian government released the statement after rights groups called on the government to step up efforts against domestic violence. 

Three human rights groups, Georgian Young Lawyers Association, Safari, and Partnership for Human Rights, wrote in a statement on 31 March that they had been approached by twice as many women for legal aid than usual.

‘International experience shows that domestic violence and violence against women is an additional challenge during the period of the pandemic, which should be met with efficient steps’, the statement reads. 

On 8 April, Georgia’s Public Defender said that mass isolation raises the risks of violence against women and queer people. 

The Public Defender called on the government to initiate a campaign in which information on protection services for victims of violence is made more widely accessible.

Muftiyat of Daghestan asks residents of the republic to pray at home

Shamil Alikhanov, chairman of the muftiate of Daghestan, in an appeal made on the muftiate's Instagram page, said that, ‘in order to avoid the coronavirus infection contamination spreading around the world’, they ask people to perform all prayers at home.

‘We ask you not to come to the mosque on Friday, but to make Zuhr prayer at home’, Alikhanov said.

Additionally, the muftiate appealed to imams with a request to limit the number people allowed to attend mosque prayers — no more than forty people per mosque.

Armenian citizens repatriated from Turkey through Georgia

The Armenian Embassy in Georgia announced last night, as a result of negotiations with Georgian authorities, on 9 April, 73 Armenian citizens from Turkey were transported to Armenia through Georgia. 

The transportation was arranged and financed by the Armenian government. Those that were repatriated will stay in a 14-day quarantine before being allowed to go home.

Armenia’s coronavirus cases doubling every ten days

Armenia’s Ministry of Health announced last night that the number of coronavirus cases in the country is now doubling every ten days compared to the previous rate of every seven days. 

According to the Ministry, if this trend continues, on 19 April, there will be 1,800 confirmed cases and the number may reach 3,600 by 29 April. 

The Ministry stated that the rise in numbers slowed down in the last five days.

Armenian government passes 10th state assistance package

Armenia’s government approved a 10th assistance package yesterday, to provide financial assistance to small businesses amounting to 10% of the revenue generated from sales of goods and services between 1 January to 1 April. 

According to Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, six of the ten assistance packages are already in their full implementation phase. 

To date, ֏3.6 billion ($7.2 million) has been allocated for implementing the assistance programmes.

Azerbaijan to pay lost salaries and support business owners 

The Ministry of Finance has allocated ₼1.7 million ($1 million) for preserving the jobs and paying the salaries of employees who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Trend reported on Thursday. 

The Ministry also transferred ₼637,000 ($374000) to the bank accounts of 533 private micro-entrepreneurs engaged in areas that suffered losses due to the pandemic. 

Charity fund to be opened to support residents of Stavropol Krai

The Governor of Stavropol Krai Vladimir Vladimirov announced the creation of a regional charity fund to assist residents of the region during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The fund’s current account will be opened in the Territorial Fund of Compulsory Medical Insurance of Stavropol Krai. According to the head of the region, a number of local large enterprises have already expressed their willingness to transfer money for the fund.

Summary

Welcome to OC Media’s coronavirus live updates for Friday, 10 April. We will be bringing you the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic from around the Caucasus.

The biggest developments from yesterday:

Abkhazia put the western Gagra District under curfew after local health authorities confirmed the second case of coronavirus in Abkhazia. 

Georgia’s president, Salome Zurabishvili, became the latest Georgian politician to announce she would not attend church Easter services. 

Read more about the upcoming celebrations: Georgian Orthodox Church remains unyielding as Easter celebrations approach.

The authorities in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, were reported to have rounded up homeless people in the city and left them in a village 110 kilometres away.

Armenia approved a new government assistance package, for small businesses.

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Read more from yesterday as well as the latest stories:

• Georgian Orthodox Church remains unyielding as Easter celebrations approach
• Georgia’s homeless ‘at high risk’ during COVID-19
• Analysis | How COVID-19 could increase mortality rates for all age groups in Georgia
• Opinion | The conflict between Church and state during a pandemic endangers us all
• In pictures | Tbilisi’s first night under curfew
• Analysis | Air pollution in Tbilisi nearly halved by COVID-19 measures
• Azerbaijani students ‘beaten’ after complaining about quarantine conditions
• South Ossetia goes into quarantine
• In pictures | Tbilisi in a state of emergency
• Azerbaijan arrests opposition activists during COVID-19 outbreak