Two new cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Ukraine on March 18, raising the overall count to just 16 cases.
Two of the 16 cases were deadly: a 71-year-year old woman died in Zhytomyr Oblast on March 13, followed by a 33-year-old woman in Chernivtsi Oblast on March 17.
Ukraine is among the countries with the lowest number of confirmed cases and deaths in Europe, but it is also among the countries with the lowest number of people tested. Since January, Ukraine tested only 640 people for COVID-19, while other countries tested tens of thousands.
The police opened an investigation into one of the two coronavirus-related deaths in Ukraine over suspicions of malpractice.
The first public figure in Ukraine to test positive for COVID-19 was Serhiy Shakhov, a member of parliament. He initially denied that he tested positive, saying he had a regular cold, but hours later admitted the disease.
So far, the cases have been confirmed in Chernivtsi Oblast, Zhytomyr Oblast, Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast, and Donetsk Oblast. The western Chernivtsi Oblast remains the epicenter of the virus in Ukraine, with 10 out of 16 cases having been diagnosed there.
CORONAVIRUS IN UKRAINE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- There have been 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ukraine. The first case was identified on March 3.
- Two people died from the COVID-19 in Ukraine.
- To fight the spread of the virus, Ukraine shut down public transportation, domestic travel, restaurants.
- Kyiv went into quarantine, shutting down everything by supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, gas stations.
- Ukrainian lawmaker tested positive for COVID-19.
- Misinformation on coronavirus is going viral in Ukraine.
- Why the Kyiv Post isn’t making its coverage free in the times of COVID-19.
- Doctor’s advice: How to stay safe.
- Foreign Ministry: What you need to know about traveling to and from Ukraine now
Effects on economy:
- Here’s what the virus is doing to Ukraine’s economy.
- Ukrainian businesses respond to the crisis.
- The virus disrupts the transport sector. Ukrainian airlines canceled some flights to 16 countries due to the novel coronavirus.
- The National Bank of Ukraine continued to cut the policy rate while trying to buffer the hryvnia from coronavirus panic.
