Russian soldiers travel to Armenia to fight coronavirus

Official data from April 8 states that Armenia has 881 reported coronavirus cases. Six of them are serving in the Armenian army. Initially, the virus was detected in family members of one of the soldiers, and then in his fellow servicemen. All those infected are in the same military unit, and as the Ministry of Defense says, “are not involved in combat missions.” Patients were previously placed in isolation, immediately after one of the military personnel was diagnosed with coronavirus. There have been no new cases.

On the evening of April 7, two Russian Il-76 transport aircraft arrived in Armenia, carrying military specialists and medical equipment.

A spokesperson for the Armenian Ministry of Defense said that starting April 8, Russians will set up and work out of a mobile laboratory. And Russian specialists will begin to examine samples of coronavirus tests taken from Armenian soldiers and personnel of the Russian 102nd military base. The Russian base is located in Gyumri, the second largest city in Armenia.

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“In accordance with the agreement between the defense ministers of Armenia and Russia, David Tonoyan and Sergey Shoigu, a team of specialists of the Russian Armed Forces arrived in Armenia to help organize antiviral measures,” said Shushan Stepanyan, spokesman for the Armenian Defense Ministry.

Stepanyan says that Russian experts brought tests to Armenia that will help to quickly test soldiers in the Armenian army and the contingent of the 102nd Russian military base.

The Russian laboratory will be able to conduct 100 PCR coronavirus tests per day. This type of testing is considered to be highly accurate, and is done by examining genetic material. Results are received within 5 hours and are 99% accurate.

The Armenian Ministry of Defense spokeswoman says that samples will be taken by experts from the Armenian Armed Forces, and then the analyses will be carried out by Russian specialists.

“The mobile group in the laboratory will work together with the personnel of the sanitation and epidemiological service of the Armed Forces of Armenia,” said Tigran Avetisyan, deputy head of the Military-Medical Department of the Armed Forces of Armenia.