The Armenian government on Monday, March 16 approved a proposal to declare a 30-day state of emergency in the country in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

300 people have been isolated in the country so far, with 30 confirmed cases overall.

According to the decision, a commandant's office will be established under Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan.

Special measures will be introduced at all the border crossings of Armenia, specifically for people coming from countries with “a tense epidemiological situation”.

The organization of and participation in demonstrations and strikes throughout the Republic of Armenia will be prohibited.

Furthermore, the commandant's office is authorized to prohibit the activities of multifunctional centers for public catering, trade and entertainment in certain communities.

In a state of emergency, media outlets must use and disseminate only official information when it comes to developments in the current epidemiological situation.

The decision will come into force once the text is published.