Ukraine has registered 8,416 new cases of COVID-19 as of 9 a.m. on Dec. 15, bringing the total number of cases in the country since the start of the pandemic to 909,082.
Currently, there are 370,734 active cases across the country. In the past 24 hours, 1,479 people were hospitalized and 233 people have died of COVID-19, bringing the total death toll to 15,480.
In the past 24 hours, 16,150 patients have recovered. A total of 522,868 patients have recovered since the beginning of the pandemic.
Ukraine has conducted 31,963 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests in the past 24 hours.
The largest numbers of new cases in the past 24 hours have been recorded in the city of Kyiv (1,559), Odesa Oblast (830), Cherkasy Oblast (665), Zaporizhia Oblast (599), and Poltava Oblast (575).
Ukraine’s daily COVID-19 cases, deaths, and recoveries from Nov. 1 to Dec. 14, 2020. All data were released by the Ministry of Health.
On Dec. 14, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers approved new pandemic restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Starting on Dec. 19, Ukraine will forbid holding mass events in educational institutions that involve more than one group or class, as well as holding celebrations, banquets, master classes and public events in entertainment venues and restaurants.
Payment transactions in restaurants will only be allowed until 10 p.m.
The government will also ban having more than one person per 10 square meters in museums, exhibitions and galleries. Holding religious events indoors with more than one person per 5 square meters or outdoors if there is not 1.5 meter in between participants also won’t be allowed.
Previous restrictions will also remain in force. In particular, Ukrainians must wear masks in public transport and public spaces and carry identification when outside their homes. The number of passengers in all public transport besides the metro must be limited to the number of available seats. Cinemas and other cultural venues can only be filled to half-capacity, while gyms and fitness centers can operate if they have less than one person per 20 square meters.
Ukraine’s daily new COVID-19 cases and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, the most accurate way of diagnosing the novel coronavirus, between Nov. 1 and Dec. 14, 2020.
On Dec. 11, the global coronavirus vaccine alliance COVAX officially approved Ukraine’s request for the COVID-19 vaccine. Ukraine will receive 8 million doses for free, enough for 4 million people, to fight the coronavirus.
Read more: COVAX to give Ukraine 8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for free
During his briefing on Dec. 15, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said that doctors, military servicepeople, teachers, police officers and patients with chronic illnesses will get vaccinated first.
