Omicron in Abkhazia: record high infection rates, closed PCR laboratory, quarantine in schools

Omicron strain in Abkhazia

Abkhazia has a record number of coronavirus infections. In Sukhum, the state laboratory for coronavirus testing temporarily stopped its work, as almost the entire staff fell ill with COVID-19. Despite this, the government says the situation is under control.

Over the past week alone, more than 2,000 people got infected with Covid-19. This is almost 1% of the total population (the population of Abkhazia is 240,000 people). Experts believe that the sharp increase in the number of cases is due to the appearance of the new Omicron strain in Abkhazia.

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All schools and kindergartens have been quarantined. Quarantine has also been introduced in all hospitals and planned operations have temporarily been canceled. Clinics are instructed to limit the admission of patients, and only accept patients with fever.

The Sukhumi state PCR laboratory temporarily suspended its work as the 90% of its employees fell ill with coronavirus. At other testing points, due to limited processing capabilities, PCR tests are carried out only on the direction of a doctor and in the presence of symptoms of the disease.

PCR tests will be conduced only for people with obvious symptoms of respiratory diseases, pregnant women, patients over 50 years of age and patients with high fever that persists for several days, regardless of their age.

Everyone else will be offered rapid tests.

Meanwhile, due to the sharp increase in the number of Covid-19, the parliamentary committee on social policy appealed to the president to postpone the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 12 for six months.

“We will definitely minimize threats and consequences by joint efforts. We will not mix political and health issues. In this case, I see no reason to postpone the elections”, Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab, who heads the Coordinating Headquarters for the Protection of the Population from Coronavirus, said in response.

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