Category: 2020

 11:40, 13 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory letter to Pope Francis on the latter’s election anniversary, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

Armen Sarkissian served as Armenia’s first ambassador to Vatican. In 1997 he received the St. Gregory the Great Order from His Holiness Pope John Paul II. With his active participation the Armenia-Rome exhibition opened in 1999 in the Sistine Chapel in the presence of late Pope John Paul II and late Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin I.

Reminding this in his congratulatory letter the Armenian President said Armenians’ ties and connections with Vatican have a millennia-old history, and currently the Armenia-Vatican inter-state relations continue harmoniously developing. Mr. Sarkissian expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis’ unconditional position for the establishment of world peace, justice and human dignity, the strengthening of the Armenia-Holy See inter-state relations.

“I remember with a special warmth your visit to Armenia in June 2016 and our personal meeting”, the Armenian President said in the letter. “I hope we will meet again in the near future”.

The Armenian President wished Pope Francis good health, success and vigor to lead the dedicated mission of the Ecumenical Church.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 11:10, 13 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Etchmiatsin city (Vagharshapat) authorities have launched disinfection measures at public transport and educational facilities after 3 of the latest novel coronavirus cases were reported to be residents of the city.

Etchmiatsin City Hall said all educational facilities have been disinfected yesterday.

“Similar measures were taken at City Hall also, and hand-sanitizers are placed all across the building”, a city hall staffer said, adding that the city’s public transport fleet is also being disinfected.

The total number of novel coronavirus cases in Armenia reached 6 on March 12 when two direct contacts of a patient tested positive.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharya

 12:24, 13 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s basketball championships have been suspended indefinitely over the novel coronavirus fears.

The Basketball Federation said the A League, B League and Basketball Cup tournaments of Armenia are suspended given the global coronavirus situation and the latest FIBA decision on halting all matched.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:42, 13 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The evacuation flight organized by the Armenian government with a local airline which will carry passengers from coronavirus-hit Italy on March 15 to Yerevan will include students, Armenian tourists, as well as Armenian nationals living in Italy, Civil Aviation Committee Chair Tatevik Revazyan told reporters.

“We are at the organizational phase, I don’t have answers to all questions, we are working with the Ministry of Healthcare, the Foreign Ministry to clarify the final number of passengers, to understand how we are going to organize the flight to minimize the risk of a potential spread of infection,” she said.

Revazyan said the arrivals will use separated areas in the airport.

The government is organizing the evacuation flight together with the Armenia International Airports and an Armenian airline. All arrivals will be quarantined for 14 days.

As of March 13, there are 6 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Armenia.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:43, 13 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s schools, kindergartens and universities will remain closed at least until March 23, PM Nikol Pashinyan said on social media.

“We will once again address the issue March 18-19, and if necessary we will extend it further. We are asking, advising our citizens to avoid as much as possible participation and organization of mass gatherings, moreover those countrymen who have any symptoms. The coronavirus prevention task force is working daily, and a session will take place today also. We are following the developments on an hourly basis. If there will be a necessity to revise any decision, even if half an hour or an hour later, we will do it. For us the biggest issue isn’t only making decisions, but for these decisions to be maximally effective,” Pashinyan said.

As of March 13th, there are 6 cases of the novel coronavirus in Armenia. Nearly 90 direct contacts are quarantined.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:15, 13 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan thinks that the expected reshuffles in the global marked caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus can open also new opportunities for Armenia’s economy, although it’s clear that these changes can also bring problems.

“Major changes are taking place in the world economy. And of course these changes can create major problems for the economies of all countries. But I want to note that in our opinion this period will not only cause problems to Armenia’s economy, but also will open new opportunities because reshuffles will inevitably take place in the world market. And I think that these reshuffles will open also new opportunities for the Armenian economy, although it’s clear that they can also create problems. We want to draw the attention of our business community to the opportunities which open today and will open tomorrow connected in general with the redistributions in the global economy”, the PM said live on Facebook, commenting on the current situation caused by the coronavirus in Armenia and the globe.  

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:32, 13 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called on the population to treat the novel coronavirus situation with utmost responsibility.

“Today we had a discussion regarding the prevention of the coronavirus and we concluded that the only option is the person’s, the individual’s sense of responsibility.” he said.

Pashinyan also revealed some disturbing details from the pre-hospitalization period of a woman who is one of the latest confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia. The woman is a resident of Etchmiatsin, who in turn has infected two others, bringing the total to 6. She had arrived to Armenia from Italy. Pashinyan said the woman, before testing positive, had deliberately concealed the fact that she had fever when medics were contacting her after her arrival.

“Upon arrival, all citizens underwent screening at the airport, nothing was detected. One of the citizens, who is a resident of Etchmiatsin, went to her city, where healthcare authorities are carrying out monitoring from time to time. During one of the inspection tours, the healthcare authorities discover that this person has fever. At that time it was revealed that the citizen has not only concealed from the government the fact that she has had fever, but has also attended the engagement ceremony of one of her relatives. She even took intravenous medication to improve her health condition before the engagement ceremony. Being infected with the coronavirus, this resident had contacts with a barber, a jeweler, as well as all the guests who were invited to the engagement party. Now, this woman’s husband and her nephew are also infected, they are under monitoring, while the engagement party guests, the barber and jeweler are quarantined,” the PM said, calling on the population to treat such issues with utmost responsibility. He once again told the public to avoid shaking hands and kissing.

As of March 13, Armenia has 6 novel coronavirus cases. 88 direct contacts of the patients are quarantined.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:39, 13 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. A very small local production of face masks has already started in Armenia, Chairman of the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition Gegham Gevorgyan told reporters today.

“There are some price changes of face masks as they were purchased from various sources and at different prices. But the economic entities inform us that there is a tendency in the decline of prices. There is also an offer for sale from China. We also received new batch of masks. Very small local productions of face masks have already started in Armenia”, he said, adding that the price of face masks is nearly 200 drams.

Gevorgyan assured that if there is a need to acquire face masks, the state will ensure that.

Gegham Gevorgyan said by calculating the current numbers and demand, they see that the problem of face masks is not so serious. Commenting on the question that pharmacies sell masks to one person at limited amount, he said the economic entities have talked to them on this matter. “If they sell at unlimited amount, they may not be able to ensure the daily physical volume”, he said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan