Number of coronavirus cases climbs to 12 in Georgia, first domestic infection

In Georgia, 12 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed, stopcov.ge reports.

The website shows that there are 140 people in quarantine and 42 inmates.

One of the infected is Nikoloz Gamkrelidze – the son of Amiran Gamkrelidze, director of the National Center for Disease Control. 

Nikoloz Gamkrelidze wrote on his Facebook page that he had contact with an infected colleague who had returned from Italy.

“The characteristic symptom of this virus occurred yesterday as I was at increased risk and did an analysis that confirmed I was infected with the corona virus,” Gamkrelidze wrote.

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This is the first case of the spread of the virus in Georgia.

Until now, the virus came from people coming directly from Italy or Iran.

Amiran Gamkrelidze, chairman of the Center for Disease Control, said the virus does not know “whose child it is.”

Amiran Gamkrelidze’s son, Nikoloz Gamkrelidze is a medical doctor himself.  He is the Director of One Evex Clinic, Evex.

It turns out that the person from whom he was infected, one of his employees, arrived in Georgia from Italy on Sunday night, after spending several days there, and went to work the next day where he held a meeting.  This meeting was attended by Nikoloz Gamkrelidze as well.

The next day, this man’s condition deteriorated and he was diagnosed with coronavirus.

 As Amiran Gamkrelidze says, since then his son has been in self-isolation:

“For the last two days, my son, when the first symptom developed, self-medicated, as he is a doctor. The result of the first test was not conclusive, so we did it several times, and then took him to the clinic at at night”, Gamkrelidze said.

He said all of his son’s contacts have also been investigated and established.

 “He wrote these contacts himself, sent them to the Center for Disease Control, and these contacts are being investigated extensively,” Gamkrelidze said.

Five other people who were also in Italy together with this person also showed coronavirus.

Self-insulation – a necessary condition

Reports that the virus spread to a doctor who did not follow the recommendation and did not remain in isolation caused outrage on Facebook.

Some call for the imposition of fines and sanctions on those who do not comply with the rule and will not abide by the conditions of isolation upon arrival from the infected country. 

At today’s briefing Amiran Gamkrelidze reiterated that all people coming from particularly infected areas should remain in isolation. 

Gamkrelidze also said that there are cases when people coming from Italy take medicine at the airport in order to avoid the symptoms and avoid quarantine.

“I urge everyone not to do so.  Show civic responsibility”, Gamkrelidze said.

Marina Ezugbaia, medical director of the Infectious Disease Hospital, said that of the 12 people infected, one remains moderately severe, while others are either mild or asymptomatic.