COVID-19: Virus reproduction number declines in Armenia, but risk for new wave remain

15:14, 12 January, 2021

YEREVAN, JANUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. The number of daily COVID-19 cases in Armenia has declined both before and after the New Year and Christmas holidays, Deputy director general of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention Gayane Sahakyan told a press conference in Armenpress, adding that the reproduction number of the virus as of the past 14 days is 0.84, whereas in the previous period it was 1.43.

“We should not forget that various contacts took place during the New Year holidays, it is expected that the number of new cases will grow. If we take into account the fact that the classes have also started, we will have a certain rise in the number of new cases”, Gayane Sahakyan said.

As of January 12, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Armenia is 162,643, the death rate is 1.8%. Currently, 8,300 patients are under treatment. Mrs. Sahakyan said there is no problem with the tests.

As for the re-infection, the specialist said even the World Health Organization doesn’t have a concrete definition on re-infection, as, she noted, the virus is new and is not well studied.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS