Armenia again shuts down schools, PM Pashinyan cuts short vacation amid more coronavirus cases

20:42,

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is cutting short his vacation which he took to be able to campaign for the constitutional referendum and is returning to work amid the new cases of the novel coronavirus in the country.

The Prime Minister said the latest two infections have been diagnosed in the family members of an earlier confirmed patient. “All three are residents of Etchmiatsin city”, he said.

Tomorrow the PM will chair an emergency meeting to comprehensive assess the situation.

“Tomorrow educational institutions will be closed, schools, universities and kindergartens will be closed,” he said in a live address broadcast on Facebook.

Two new cases of the novel coronavirus have been diagnosed in Armenia, bringing the total number to 6, Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan said earlier.

After the first coronavirus case on March 1, Armenia had shut down schools for one week. Classes resumed from March 9.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS