Ukraine will soon start canceling public events and temporarily closing schools to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, just days after doctors identified the country’s first case of the illness.
“In the near future, we will unfortunately be forced to introduce restrictive anti-epidemic measures,” Viktor Lyashko, the chief state sanitary doctor of Ukraine, announced on March 5 at a news conference in Novi Sanzhary in Poltava Oblast.
“We will prohibit mass events, conferences, sporting events and temporarily close schools.”
The “limited” measures are aimed at reducing crowds because the virus is transmitted by airborne droplets, said Lyashko. He added that people should maintain a distance of 1.5-2 meters from one another in order to avoid infection.
The health ministry’s press service could not provide additional details as of March 5, but said that the closures and cancellations will take place in a limited number of regions and not throughout Ukraine.
Novi Sanzhary’s sanatorium hosted Ukrainians and foreigners evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak started in late 2019. But the decision to quarantine the evacuees at a sanitorium near the town led to violent protests by panicked locals.
Read more: Ukrainians evacuated from Wuhan settle in Novi Sanzhary amid tensions
Lyashko made his comments on the day that the evacuees were finally released after 14 days of quarantine. He was joined by President Volodymyr Zelensky, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov and Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.
“I want to thank you all for hanging in there for two weeks. Good job,” Zelensky said. “I wish you all good health.”
According to the health ministry’s website, one case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Ukraine. A man in Chernivtsi Oblast fell ill with the infection after a trip to Italy. The man has been hospitalized and is under observation. The health ministry’s press service stated that his wife is under home quarantine, but media reported that she was also taken to a hospital after protesters gathered outside her house.
The Chernivtsi Regional State Administration said that restrictions were being introduced on public events, including concerts, following recommendations by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Lyashko added that people don’t need to buy masks, which are ineffective at protecting against the virus. Instead, he suggested that people wash their hands with soap and treat them with hand sanitizer.
