The Ukrainian government has supported new restrictions that oblige all those arriving in Ukraine from abroad to undergo a 14-day quarantine under thorough medical supervision, Deputy Health Minister of Ukraine Viktor Lyashko said during a March 30 online briefing.
Despite the suspension of all international flights, bus and train traffic starting on March 27, Ukrainians will still be able to return home by foot or by car through one of 89 land border checkpoints. And following new restrictive measures put in place on March 29, all citizens coming to the country this way will be placed in quarantine for 14 days. They will have to stay on the premises chosen by state oblast administrations, including in regional hotels and sanatoria.
“Only after that, they can enter Ukraine without the restrictions of their rights and freedoms,” Lyashko said.
No need for massive testing
Lyashko noted that those arriving in the country will not be tested with PCR diagnostic kits – the most reliable way of detecting COVID-19.
“The virus has the incubation period, thus in some cases, PCR diagnostic is not economically and epidemically relevant,” Lyashko said.
Currently, there are 50,000 testing kits available in Ukraine. With 100,000 more PCR tests arriving on March 30 and 20,000 expected soon, Ukrainian laboratories can diagnose 2 million cases, according to Lyashko.
He also asked Ukrainians and residents with the coronavirus-related symptoms to call the Health Ministry’s hotline if hospitals refuse to test them: +38-080-050-5201.
Preparing for virus
According to Lyashko, 240 Ukrainian hospitals are prepared to receive the first wave of patients. The full list is available on the Health Ministry’s website.
Special sanitary tents were established near the hospitals to sort patients with severe and moderate symptoms, all others should be self-isolated and treated on an outpatient basis.
“In such a way, we want to avoid the infection with the coronavirus inside hospitals,” Lyashko said.
According to the ministry, Ukraine has received 33,000 protective suits and 254,000 respiratory protective masks on March 29, and the equipment will be distributed among the oblasts.
The Health Ministry has also established 567 mobile groups in every region to collect lab-samples from the local laboratories.
Three mobile PCR laboratories from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense will be rolled out soon.
Solutions for treatment
As for now, there is no specific treatment for the disease caused by a novel coronavirus, Lyashko said. At the same time, different countries are testing medications to relieve the symptoms.
The Ukrainian health ministry has formed an expert group that will review all global advancements and recommend applying them in Ukraine if no other options remain to save a patient’s life.
As of March 30, 480 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Ukraine, 11 people have died and six have recovered.
Overall, 2,264 people with suspected cases of COVID-19 infection have been tested in Ukraine, according to the Health Ministry.
