Staff of Cafe-Bars and Restaurants at Georgian Resort will be Subjected to Intensive Testing

The situation at Georgian resorts, especially those on the Black Sea coast, was discussed during today's session of the Interagency Coordination Council.

Considering the large concentration of vacationers at those resorts, it was decided to implement preventive measures. Namely, in order to prevent the spread of the virus, the circle of persons subjected to targeted testing has been expanded to include the staff of the facilities where mobility is particularly high, such as cafes, restaurants, and clubs.

According to the National Center for Disease Control, at present, the source of infection is unknown for 10 people. Therefore, the Interagency Coordination Council urges citizens to exercise maximum caution, wear face masks, and maintain social distance.

The head of the National Tourism Administration presented statistical data on the number of people entering Georgia, including from European countries with which our country has open air borders on a reciprocal basis.

According to Mariam Kvrivishvili, 1,236 people arrived in Georgia from 22 July to 15 August via 14 flights from countries with which Georgia has open air borders on a reciprocal basis. This amounts to 56 percent of the total passenger flow. She explained that the number of foreign citizens entering Georgia for the purpose of tourism is on the rise, which is to be welcomed. At the same time, passengers are being tested at the airport on a random basis, though no one has tested positive so far.

As of today, 1,361 laboratory-confirmed cases of coronavirus infection have been detected in Georgia, of which 1,098 persons have already recovered. Forty-one Georgian citizens have been repatriated from foreign countries for treatment. Seventeen persons have died.