Armenia: 80% of coronavirus cases related to two primary carriersMarch 20, 2020 - 15:18 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - 112 out of the 136 – more than 80% – cases of the novel coronavirus confirmed in Armenia so far are related to two primary carriers, according to Health Ministry spokeswoman Alina Nikoghosyan. The first case is a woman who arrived from Italy amid the raging pandemic and attended a crowded engagement party in the town of Vagharshapat (commonly known as Etchmiadzin). Dozens of people who were exposed to her before her isolation turned out to have contracted the disease and spread the virus further. Located about 18 km west of the capital Yerevan, the town was put under partial lockdown for several days to curb the spread of the virus in neighboring settlements. The second case is an Italian national who, too, arrived in Armenia from Italy on business and had close contact with the employees of a production plant in Yerevan. The Italian has reportedly returned home, but only after infecting many others. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia has grown to reach 136 as of Friday, March 20 morning․ The country declared a 30-day state of emergency on March 16 and banned citizens of 16 nations from entering the country. So far, one person has recovered from the coronavirus in Armenia. Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. U.S. believes peace is “possible” in South Caucasus The United States continues to believe that peace is possible in the South Caucasus, Vedant Patel said. |