We want to hear from you! You can send us your stories, photos, and videos about the coronavirus via Facebook, Twitter, or email at contact@oc-media.org.

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

Dear readers, 

We’ve decided to try something a little different. As the flow of coronavirus breaking news in the region is slowing down, we will not be having further live updates during the weekend, as we shift to produce more article-length content.

The live updates will be back on Monday, and we will, of course, still have a summary of the weekend’s most important coronavirus news throughout the Caucasus.   

Thank you for your readership.

See you on Monday!

P.S. If you would like to support our journalism and join us in the fight for a better Caucasus, you can pitch in at the following link: https://ocmedianew.vecto.digital/support_us/

46 prisoners in Azerbaijan infected with COVID-19

Ramin Bayramli, the chair of the Management Union of Medical Territorial Units, said at a briefing of the Operational Headquarters today that 15 more prisoners were infected with COVID-19 in Azerbaijan, bringing the total number of infected prisoners to 46. 

Azerbaijan to keep quarantine regime ‘at least’ until the end of the year

Ramin Bayramli, the chair of the Management Union of Medical Territorial Units, said at a briefing of the Operational Headquarters today that the quarantine regime in Azerbaijan will continue ‘at least’ until the end of the year. 

‘Perhaps we will gradually get out of this situation, but certain rules will still remain’, he said. 

Abkhazia relaxes restrictions amid new outbreak of COVID-19

Abkhazia has lifted a number of restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, citing a need to minimise the impact on the economy.

On Friday, cafes, restaurants, and gyms were allowed to reopen and inter-city public transport resumed. A number of other restrictions, including on educational institutions have been extended until 1 June.

Read the full story: Abkhazia relaxes restrictions amid new outbreak of COVID-19.

Azerbaijan softens quarantine regime restrictions from 18 May

Azerbaijan's Operational Headquarters has announced that from 18 May several social distancing restrictions will be lifted. However, the special quarantine regime will still remain in place in the country. 

According to their report, from 18 May it will no longer be necessary to notify authorities when travelling outside of the home.

Boulevards, parks and recreation spaces will reopen, and people will be allowed to gather in groups of no more than 10. 

Restaurants, cafes, and tea houses will be allowed to operate from 08:00 to 18:00. 

Museums and galleries will also reopen. 

People over the age of 65 will also be allowed to leave their home without notifying authorities. 

Karachay–Cherkessia to grant land to medical workers 

At an extraordinary session, held via audio conference, the parliament of Karachay-Cherkessia adopted amendments that would allow land to be granted to medical workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Medical personnel providing medical care to patients with COVID-19, if they are recognized as in need of better housing conditions, will receive land plots free of charge and as a matter of priority.

Medical workers who provide medical care to patients with COVID-19 and who have three or more children will also receive priority land plots.

Georgian PM: State of Emergency won’t be extended

Speaking at the government's meeting today, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said that they don’t plan to appeal to President Salome Zurabishvili to extend the deadline of the State of Emergency after 22 May. 

The curfew which restricts movement outside of the home between the hours of 21:00 and 6:00 will be lifted. 

The State of Emergency was first instituted on 21 March.

Georgia to hold in-person university entry exams in summer

Unveiling his post-crisis plans today Georgian Education Minister Mikheil Chkhenkeli vowed they will go forward with the national university entrance exams in summer,  in July or in August at the latest.

Chkhenkeli said that the specific health and safety protocols that will be put in place for the exams would be detailed later, adding that one that he could confirm at the moment is that no more than 10 applicants would be seated within the same space. 

Georgia has experienced difficulties with continuing education during the pandemic and has had to resort to schooling via television, instead of using the internet. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia admitted in his speech today that Georgia still had problems with internet access. 

According to the Georgian National Statistics Office, in 2019, 79% of Georgian households had internet access and 62% — computer access. 

Georgia closed down schools on 4 March, eight days after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the country. 

Armenia mulls sending asymptomatic patients home

According to Armenia’s Health Minister Arsen Torosyan, the country has an average of 150 new COVID-19 cases and 70 recoveries per day. If this trend remains stable, he said, then in 7-10 days asymptomatic patients who are being quarantined in designated hotels will be returned home to continue their quarantine there.

Torosyan stated that Armenia is one of the few countries which is still hospitalising and isolating all confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Georgia confirms 15 new cases in one day

Georgian authorities have put the village of Geta in southern Bolnisi Municipality under lockdown this morning after confirming eight new COVID-19 cases there last night. 

According to Georgian authorities, they also discovered another nine cases of COVID-19 infection in the village of Mushevani, also located in Bolnisi.

This marked a spike in new confirmed cases in the country after several days in which recoveries outnumbered new cases. 

Summary

Welcome to OC Media’s coronavirus live updates for Friday, 15 May. We will be bringing you the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic from around the Caucasus.

The biggest developments from yesterday:

In Georgia, no more than 10 people will be allowed to gather in public from 18 May onwards. Until that date, public gatherings that exceeded a maximum of three people are prohibited. The ban on 3+ people travelling via taxi or by private vehicles remains in place.

Georgia has also lifted the ban on entering and exiting the cities of Rustavi and Gardabani. According to Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, the lockdown in the municipality of  Marneuli, which was quarantined in March, will be lifted on Monday, 18 May.  

Armenia has extended the State of Emergency (SOE) which has been in place in the country since 16 March for the second time. The SOE was extended for the first time on 13 April and was to expire yesterday. The extension of the SOE is set to last until 13 June.

Armenia also plans to lift restrictions on public transportation on 18 May. Meanwhile, wearing masks in public spaces will become mandatory starting 25 May. 

Abkhazia’s government announced on Wednesday they plan to lift restrictions on cafes, restaurants, and gyms and to allow inter-city public transport from 15 May, in order to 'minimise' the impact of anti-coronavirus measures on the economy.

Read the latest stories:

• Georgian Health Ministry cancels contract for ‘Dutch-made’ tests that were made in China
• Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh ‘vulnerable to COVID-19 pandemic’
• Georgia plans corona-safe ‘tourist zones’
• South Ossetia confirms first three coronavirus cases
• Protests in Azerbaijan over job losses and unpaid leave
• Critical shortages‘ of protective equipment reported in Daghestan’s hospitals
• Transgender woman sets herself on fire in Tbilisi
• Voice | The women on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic
• 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