Georgia Reports First Confirmed Coronavirus Case

Georgia on Wednesday announced its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the South Caucasus region

Tbilisi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2020 ):Georgia on Wednesday announced its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the South Caucasus region.

"A Georgian national has tested positive for the novel coronavirus," Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze told a news conference, adding that the infected man has been placed in isolation in a Tbilisi hospital.

"Three different tests of the 50-year-old man's nasopharyngeal smear gave positive results, but he is doing well, he is clinically healthy," head of Georgia's national centre for disease control, Amiran Gamkrelidze told journalists.

The man had arrived in Georgia from Iran via Azerbaijan, Gamkrelidze said.

Tikaradze said Georgia would introduce a two-week ban on Iranian nationals entering Georgia, but flatly dismissed fears of a coronavirus epidemic in the ex-Soviet country "at this point".

On Sunday, Georgia's neighbour Armenia closed its border with Iran and suspended flights as fears over an outbreak of coronavirus in Iran sent neighbouring countries scrambling to contain the outbreak.