Category: 2020

 11:33, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. As 28 new coronavirus cases were diagnosed in Armenia in the past 24 hours, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan voiced a general “cautious optimism” and said that if the recent statistics is maintained it would mean that the country has overcome the peak of the outbreak.

“Today we have 28 new cases of the coronavirus out of 311 tests. 27 patients recovered. The total number of recoveries is 114, the number of active cases is 758. Around 90% of the patients don’t even have fever. Overall, we are maintaining cautious optimism. If this statistics continues, it will mean that we have overcome the coronavirus peak and that the peak was on March 31,” Pashinyan said on social media.

On March 31^st, Armenia had the highest number of new cases in one day – 92.

The Prime Minister said that a 93-year-old patient, who suffered from cancer, has died from coronavirus complications, becoming Armenia’s ninth COVID-19 fatality. He said that eight other patients are currently in critical condition.

Earlier on April 7, for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak began in Armenia, the number of recovered patients in 24 hours was more than the number of new cases.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:03, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a decision according to which Hakob Chagharyan has been relieved from the position of advisor to the PM.

The PM’s respective decision is posted on e-gov.am

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:20, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. The number of novel coronavirus cases in Russia has risen by 1,175 over the past day, reaching 8,672 in 81 regions, the anti-coronavirus crisis center said today, reports TASS.

The center has reported 580 recoveries and 63 deaths.

The number of coronavirus cases in Moscow has grown by 660 to 5,841.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global pandemic and named the virus COVID-19. Cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in more than 200 countries.

 13:23, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. The military-industrial complex of Armenia is operating at full-swing, Minister of High Tech Industry Hakob Arshakyan said at a news conference.

He said they have numerous contracts signed with the Defense Ministry and military experts will also be involved in the industrial process.

“The military-industrial complex is operating at full swing with its entire capacity,” he said, adding that the sector’s operations are among the exceptions of allowed activities amid the COVID-19 shutdown.

Arshakyan said the defense industry has entered an active stage of operations. 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:46, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Ministry of High Tech Industry will soon offer grant program opportunities to tech companies and engineers who are furloughed amid the state of emergency lockdown over the coronavirus crisis, Minister Hakob Arshakyan said at a news conference.

“Our grant programs will be continuous. There are now some opportunities for tech companies, for those who are rendering services. Thanks to the grants they will also have the opportunity to make investments in the direction of developing and selling some products. Due to the coronavirus, companies or employees depending on the market conditions may be temporarily furloughed. I think this is a good opportunity for them to apply for the grants that we will soon announce. And laid off engineers will have the chance to start developing products,” he said.

He said the government has allocated around 930,000,000 drams for the grants in 2020.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 14:36, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. 1,997 more people have been infected with the novel coronavirus in Iran according to the latest data as of April 8, the Armenian Embassy in Iran said.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country has reached 64,586.

The number of people who died rose by 121, and the death toll is 3,993.

Meanwhile, the number of recovered people increased by 2,773. So far, 29,812 patients have recovered from coronavirus in Iran.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global pandemic and named the virus COVID-19. Cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in more than 200 countries.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:20, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. Amid the coronavirus crisis, nearly 290,000 Armenian citizens have been granted loan repayment holidays with a total volume of 9,3 billion drams as of April 8, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on social media.

“Loan repayment holidays were also granted to 5300 legal persons with a total volume of 15,4 billion drams,” he said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:42, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan has signed an order to award 1800 city health workers who are on the frontlines in the battle against the coronavirus outbreak. Moreover, City Hall staffers and employees of all administrative districts of Yerevan have donated a total of more than 130,000,000 drams from their monthly salaries for this purpose.

So far, 10 health workers in Yerevan have contracted the novel coronavirus on the line of duty. Another 41 are quarantined. But the call of duty is above and beyond the danger of contracting the potentially fatal virus, and dozens of volunteers have joined the city’s health workers in combating the outbreak.

All public hospitals and clinics of Yerevan are working in an emergency mode amid the coronavirus crisis.

“Ambulance crews, all geared-up and ready, are on the frontlines,” the Director of the city’s ambulance service Taguhi Stepanyan said. “The ambulance service is always on an emergency mode, but moreover during these days,” she said.

The city’s outpatient clinics – the polyclinics – are also carrying out monitoring of self-quarantined citizens.

Yerevan City Hall has provided all healthcare clinics with protective gears.

Yerevan City Hall’s Healthcare Department Director Kamsar Babinyan said they have deployed dedicated buses for transporting health workers only.

“Each of us can join the battle by staying home and preventing the spread of the virus”, the City Hall said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 16:51, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. 1,500 people, who have passed testing via the Covid-19 Armenia online testing app, appeared in the red zone, 12 people have been tested, 4 have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, Bagrat Badalyan, advisor to Deputy Prime Minister, Commandant of the State of Emergency, Tigran Avinyan, said at a press conference.

“The Covid-19 Armenia app has already had nearly 40 downloads, within the frames of which people have carried out an online testing for 240,000 times. Nearly 1,500 persons have appeared in the red zone, 31 have been selected through an interview. 12 out of these 31 have already been tested, 8 tested negative and 4 positive. We are waiting for the results of the rest”, Badalyan said.

Not everyone needs to download the app as it is on voluntary basis.

Covid-19 Armenia app has been created by Armenian specialists. The most important part of the app is the medical testing of users. Based on the results of answers to some questions the app evaluates the person’s health condition and if necessary gives advice what steps should be taken. In addition, the epidemiologists of the Commandant’s Office contact the suspected users, conduct an interview during which they decide whether the person needs further medical care or not.

According to the latest data, the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Armenia has reached 881. 9 death cases have been registered so far. The total number of recovered people has reached 114. 4,571 people tested negative for coronavirus. Currently the active cases are 758.

On March 16 Armenia declared a 30-day state of emergency to battle the spread of COVID-19. The state of emergency is effective until April 14, 17:00.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 18:54, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. At the initiative of the Iranian side, Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan held a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, the interlocutors exchanged views on the measures aimed at fighting coronavirus. The Iranian Minister offered condolences to Zohrab Mnatsakanyan on behalf of the Iranian Government over the deaths resulted by the coronavirus and expressed solidarity with the Armenian people.

FM Mnatsakanyan presented the anti-coronavirus efforts of the Government of Armenia and highly appreciated the solidarity expressed by Iran. The sides referred to global fight against coronavirus and the Armenian-Iranian cooperation in that situation.

A broad scope of issues of bilateral cooperation was discussed during the phone conversation.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan