- JAMnews, Yerevan
The Armenian government is considering strengthening and extending the state of emergency regulations announced in mid-March ahead of Easter Sunday and following the country’s 13th death from coronavirus.
On April 10, two other patients died from coronavirus as well, while several remain in critical condition. The total number of cases stands at 977, after an additional 40 were reported earlier today. 173 have recovered from the infection.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has instructed the government to prepare a decision to extend the state of emergency, which ends on April 14.
Through April 12, there are restrictions on movement within the country.
The decision of the government will have to be considered by parliament at an extraordinary session, which will likely be held on Monday, April 13.
Since March 16, everything has been closed in Armenia, except for grocery stores and pharmacies. All public transport has been stopped, including the metro. Since March 25, a strict restriction on the movement of people has been introduced. Citizens can leave the house only in case of emergency – with a passport and a “travel profile”. Violations are monitored by the police.
On April 10, Health Minister Arsen Torosyan made a proposal to extend the state of emergency.
“We can’t assume that the proliferation of the virus will stop or that it is 100 percent fading. Earlier, for example, we had 50 cases, but from a single source of infection, for example, from a large industrial enterprise. Now we have 16, 20, 30 cases, but from 10 or 20 different people. Therefore, the coronavirus infection process has gotten out of control,” the minister said.
Easter is coming to Armenia. The Armenian Apostolic Church decided for the first time to celebrate on April 12 the feast of the Resurrection of Christ without believers in temples, as a precaution in connection with the coronavirus pandemic.
Most actively support this decision. But there are those who on social media write that they are not going to sit at home and will still go to listen to the Easter service.
On Easter in Armenia, it is customary to set a table with painted eggs, festive rice dishes, fish, herbs and wine. There are a lot of people in the markets in Yerevan. And not all of them are keeping their distance from one another or wearing masks and gloves. There are debates in the country as to the usefulness of masks for the general public – even the Ministry of Health has his doubts.