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COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia (country)

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Georgia when its first case was confirmed in Tbilisi on 26 February 2020.[3]

COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia (country)

COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2

Georgia

Wuhan, Hubei, China

Tbilisi

26 February 2020 (4 years, 1 month and 29 days)

1,862,669[1]

1,828,437 (updated 23 July 2023) [2]

17,132[1]

0.92%

22 January: Amiran Gamkrelidze, head of the Georgian National Centre for Disease Control, warns Georgian travellers from visiting Wuhan, the point of origin of the COVID-19 outbreak. He claims that there is a "small, but theoretical" chance that the virus could reach Georgia.

[22]

26 January: Georgian doctors start examining passengers arriving from China at airports for coronavirus-related symptoms.

[23]

[24]

30 January: Giorgi Gakharia alleges that the country's healthcare system is ready to respond to the new coronavirus if it enters Georgia.

Prime Minister

31 January: Two Chinese and two Georgian citizens, one of whom recently returned from Wuhan, are monitored by the NCDC after showing high temperatures. Their blood samples are sent to Germany after their test results come back negative for all the viruses that Georgia is capable at the moment of testing for.

1 February: The Georgian Foreign Ministry "stands with" China as the outbreak continues to expand and thanks Turkey for offering to evacuate Georgian citizens from Wuhan.

2 February: Turkey and France evacuate 5 Georgian citizens from the Hubei Province of China, initial centre of the COVID-19 pandemic.

4 February: The Lugar Centre of the NCDC starts testing for the coronavirus after receiving reagents from Germany. It previously had to send test samples to Germany or the Netherlands for confirmation.

10 February: United Airports of Georgia reports a 3% year-on-year decrease in airport traffic in January. Media cites the suspension of flights to China as a potential cause.

20 February: A South Korean citizen with high fever tests negative for the coronavirus in Georgia.

22 February: 34 Georgian citizens recently evacuated from China test negative for the coronavirus while in quarantine in Imereti.

[25]

23 February: Georgia calls the outbreak of the coronavirus in neighbouring Iran a "serious concern" and suspends direct flights with the Islamic Republic.

25 February: Three Georgians and two Iranians are tested for the coronavirus in Tbilisi. Their results come back negative.