Georgian doctor infected, 100 medical workers in self-isolation

An infectious disease specialist at Sachkhere Hospital in Western Georgia was diagnosed with COVID-19. Although her symptoms are mild, she is nonetheless being quarantined. Hospital Director Mikhail Kamushadze says that she may have been infected by a patient.

As of 10 am April 6, there are 188 cases of coronavirus reported in Georgia. 5056 are in quarantine, 386 are under controlled medical supervision, 36 patients have recovered, and 2 have died.

The specialist doctor is the wife of the mayor Sachkhere, who himself tested negative for the virus, as did 10 employees of the Sachkhere Medical Center who had direct contact with the now infected infectious disease specialist. About 100 clinic employees in total went into self-isolation.

The Sachkhere hospital has been accepting COVID-19 patients since the virus first spread to Georgia, and is currently treating 3 coronavirus patients.

The Sachkhere case was the fifth reported incident where a Georgian doctor tested positive for the virus. Before that, there had been one nurse at an infectious diseases hospital in Batumi, two nurses at a hospital on the Tbilisi Sea, as well as a Tbilisi ambulance doctor, who, unlike other paramedics, did not catch the virus on the job, but rather at home, from his wife.

• Ambulance paramedic infected in Georgia
• Georgian cities of Marneuli, Bolnisi under quarantine due to threat of coronavirus outbreak

On March 21, Georgia declared a state of emergency to counter the pandemic. Since March 23, due to the internal spread of the coronavirus in the Kvemo Kartli region, the cities of Marneuli and Bolnisi have been on lockdown. Starting from March 31, a curfew is in place from 9pm to 6am.