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Number of COVID-19 patients with advanced pneumonia increases in the North Caucasus

In Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia, the number of patients with an advanced form of pneumonia caused by COVID-19 is growing.

The Minister of Health of Kabardino-Balkaria, Rustam Kalibatov has said that some patients, despite having a fever and cough, ‘underestimate the danger’, and call the doctors late, ‘while the course of viral pneumonia can be rapid’.

However, there has been evidence that pneumonia caused by COVID-19 can progress with few symptoms. 

Writing in the New York Times, American emergency physician Richard Levitan has said that some patients with COVID-19 suffer from ‘silent hypoxia’ in which they ‘don’t feel short of breath, even as their oxygen levels fall’.

‘Their pneumonia had clearly been going on for days, but by the time they felt they had to go to the hospital, they were often already in critical condition.’

Authorities in Kabardino-Balkaria have said that until the improvement of the epidemiological situation in the republic, all the social-distancing restrictions that have been introduced will be maintained.

Partial opening up as Azerbaijan prolongs quarantine regime until 31 May

The Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers has announced that the special quarantine regime will be prolonged until 31 May. 

Despite this, Azerbaijan authorities have cancelled a number of restrictions.

From 4 May, all over the country, individual retail facilities, hairdressers, beauty salons, beauty services will be allowed to reopen.  

Further restrictions will also be lifted outside of Baku, Sumgait, Ganja, Lankaran, and the Absheron district as restaurants, cafes, and teahouses will be allowed to reopen and restrictions on access to boulevards, parks and other recreational areas will be lifted.

According to the Operational Headquarters, at the moment, Ganja and Lankaran are the country’s biggest hotspots for COVID-19. 

The public remains prohibited from gathering in groups of more than 10 people in public. 

The work of educational institutions is suspended until 31 May.

Georgia is considering restoring flights

Georgia is considering restoring international flights Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava has announced — though, the process will require international negotiation. 

‘Air travel is a mutual and multi-sided process’, Turnava said. In order for flights to be restored, unfortunately, the efforts of Georgia’s government only are not enough.’

She added that efficient measures against the novel coronavirus must be in place in the countries with which Georgia will reestablish flights. 

Georgian economy will contract ‘by at least 4%’

Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava has announced that authorities expect Georgia’s economy to contract by 4% this year.

However, she has stated it will be possible to recover from the contraction the following year, with 4% growth with ‘efficient policies and implementation’ of the ‘anti-crisis plan’.

On 24 April, the Georgian government introduced a six-stage plan to restart economic activities. According to the plan, businesses who did not fire workers will receive subsidies, and salaries below ₾750 ($240) will be free from income tax for the next six months.

Additionally, salaries under 1,500 ($470) will be free from income tax for the first ₾750.

Turnava also added that the Georgian government is currently drafting a plan for reviving tourism.

₽5,000‎ for children with disabilities in Krasnodar Krai 

The Government of Krasnodar Krai will help families with children with disabilities who are studying at state schools in the region and will allocate a one-time payment of ₽5,000 ($66) for each child.

Families with children where parents lost their jobs after 1 March will receive a maximum unemployment benefit of ₽12,000 ($160) per household in addition to ₽3,000 rubles ($40) for each child who is a minor. 

Households in which parents have been unemployed for a lengthy period of time or were employed informally will receive a ₽1,500 ($20) unemployment benefit and ₽3,000 per child.

Georgian vendors dump vegetables in Tbilisi, demanding market be opened

Vendors in Tbilisi dumped spoiled vegetables near the Gldani Agricultural Market claiming Georgian officials have not allowed them to sell them, as the market remains closed.  

On 27 April, the Georgian government lifted the ban on operation of open agricultural markets. However, Minister of Agriculture Levan Davitashvili has said that most agricultural markets do not satisfy sanitary criteria and will remain closed until they do.

‘More guarantees’ for Stavropol workers infected with or killed by COVID-19  

On 30 April, the Stavropol Krai duma (regional legislative body) adopted a law on additional social guarantees for employees, primarily targetted at medical workers. 

According to the law, those who contracted COVID-19 while on duty will receive ₽1,000,000 ($13,400) as one-time social allowance.  In case of a fatal outcome, family members would receive ₽3,000,000 ($40,200).

Summary

Welcome to OC Media’s coronavirus live updates for Thursday, 30 April. We will be bringing you the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic from around the Caucasus.

The biggest developments from yesterday:

Abkhazia extended most of their anti-coronavirus measures until 15 May. Public transport between settlements will restart earlier but only on specific days and no more than three days a week; open-markets are also set to reopen on those days.

The authorities in South Ossetia said they were planning to rescind their stay-at-home order on 12 May ‘provided the epidemiological situation remains unchanged’. The authorities extended a ban on movement with Russia until 31 May. 

In Georgia, a transgender woman has set herself on fire in front of Tbilisi City Hall during a protest against the government ‘negligence’ in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Read more: Transgender woman sets herself on fire in Tbilisi

• Amnesty International questions Caucasus governments’ response to pandemic
• Georgian opposition demand answers after former official ‘breaches driving ban’
• Voice | The women on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Azerbaijan opposition party claims nearly a dozen members arrested in last two weeks
• Farmers in Georgia’s Marneuli protest inability to sell crops 
• Police clash with anti-stay-at-home protesters in North Ossetia 
• In pictures | Life under quarantine in Gyumri
• Georgian social workers forced to pay for taxis to visit domestic abuse victims
• Azerbaijan arrests journalists for ‘violating quarantine’