Update – 23.07.2020

July 23, 2020

On Thursday, July 23^rd, Russia recorded 5,848 new cases of coronavirus in 83 Russian regions, raising the official number of positive results to 795,038, with 12,892 dead. Most new COVID-19 cases (608) were registered in Moscow, raising the total number of Muscovites with confirmed COVID-19 to 235,971. In Moscow and the Moscow region, 23-24% of residents have antibodies to the virus, said the head of the Ministry of Health, Mikhail Murashko. In the meantime, a total number of 580,330 Russian patients are known to have recovered from coronavirus. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Russian Federation has managed to put up a good fight against the coronavirus with minimal losses, owing to the strict observance of restrictive measures. Russia has conducted more than 26 million tests for coronavirus, the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing reports. According to the chief freelance epidemiologist of the Ministry of Health, the pandemic continues to develop in Russia. Earlier, virologists warned that its first wave would not end until 70-80% of the population get infected with the virus.

During the first stage of the resumption of international flights in Russia, it is planned that flights will take off from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Vladivostok, according to a document sent by the head of the Federal Air Transport Agency, Alexander Neradko, to the government. The cities were chosen based on the geographic principle – one large airport per macroregion. Concurrently, all three airports within the Moscow air hub will be able to operate international flights during the first stage.

Aeroflot has begun selling air tickets for Turkey, including the resort town of Antalya. Flights begin on Saturday, August 1^st. There are no flights listed in the carrier’s system for earlier dates. As such, there is every reason to believe that Turkey open at the start of August, and not July 25^th as previously assumed. Meanwhile, the official Aeroflot website indicates that demand is already high. So far, only two daily flights have been announced.

The Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing announced that Russian citizens arriving via regular flights from foreign countries, will have to fill out a dedicated form on the State Services portal (Gosuslugi.ru) and a special questionnaire on board the aircraft. Following this, within three calendar days upon arrival in Russia, they will be required to undergo testing for coronavirus and upload the results to the State Service portal. As such, tests for COVID-19 undertaken abroad will not be relevant.

On Thursday, July 23^rd, Kazakhstan recorded 1646 new cases of coronavirus, raising the official number of positive cases to 76,799, with 610 dead.

The country is experiencing a stabilization of morbidity and mortality from coronavirus. This was announced by Minister of Health Alexei Tsoi at a government meeting on July 21^st. The minister noted that over the course of two weeks, the daily infection rate decreased from 4% to 2%. The number of people who have recovered has increased by 60%.

On Thursday, July 23^rd, Ukraine recorded 856 new cases of coronavirus, raising the official number of positive results to 61,851, with 1551 dead.

The Ukraine Cabinet of Ministers has extended the adaptive quarantine until August 31^st, 2020, changing the principle of the distribution of regions with strengthened quarantine measures. The corresponding resolution was adopted by the government on July 22^nd. Depending on the epidemic situation in each region, a “green”, “yellow”, “orange” or “red” level of epidemic danger can be established.

Last week, 13 more countries opened their borders to Ukrainian tourists. Currently, the list comprises 39 destinations. It is still necessary to follow the rules, adhere to regulations in these countries, and also check the information on the MFA map before traveling. Within a week, the borders of Bulgaria, Slovenia, the United Arab Emirates, Ireland, the Maldives, Antigua and Barbuda, Ecuador, Jamaica, Cambodia, the Comoros, Pakistan, Saint Lucia and Puerto Rico opened their boarders to Ukrainians. Turkey, Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Croatia, Belarus, Great Britain, USA, Mexico, Egypt, Tunisia, Republic of Korea, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Seychelles, Bahamas and Lebanon are still ready to receive Ukrainians.

On Thursday, July 23^rd, Georgia recorded 12 new cases of coronavirus, raising the official number of positive cases to 1085, with 16 dead.

In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, the Civil Aviation Agency of Georgia extended the restriction on international regular flights until August 31^st, with the exception of flights to Paris, Munich and Riga. The regulation will not affect these three destinations as an agreement has been reached with airlines on the operation of flights, the ministry said in a statement on July 21^st.

Sources:

https://t.me/COVID2019_official