Category: 2023

 10:45, 6 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. As of 10:00 the number of confirmed cases of measles had reached 20, the Armenian healthcare ministry reported Monday.

18 patients are hospitalized while 1 person already recovered, the ministry added. 

All patients are in moderate condition.

19 of the 20 patients are unvaccinated, while 1 of the patients has had only 1 dose from the required 2 doses of vaccination.

Healthcare authorities recommend children get two doses of the measles vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. The Armenian healthcare ministry advised parents to get their children vaccinated if they’ve missed the immunization schedule.

At the same time, unvaccinated direct contacts of confirmed cases should also get vaccinated, healthcare authorities said.

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases. It is spread by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact or direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions.

The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to 2 hours. It can be transmitted by an infected person from 4 days prior to the onset of the rash to 4 days after the rash erupts, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Unvaccinated young children are at highest risk of measles and its complications. Unvaccinated pregnant women are also at risk. Any non-immune person (who has not been vaccinated or was vaccinated but did not develop immunity) can become infected.

The first sign of measles is usually a high fever, which begins about 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus, and lasts 4 to 7 days. A runny nose, a cough, red and watery eyes, and small white spots inside the cheeks can develop in the initial stage. After several days, a rash erupts, usually on the face and upper neck. Over about 3 days, the rash spreads, eventually reaching the hands and feet.

 11:11, 6 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Ministry of Defense on Monday denied Azerbaijani reports that Armenian Armed Forces opened fire on Azerbaijani forces overnight March 5-6. It said that the Azerbaijani accusations are disinformation.

“The statement released by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan claiming that overnight March 5-6 units of the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire at Azerbaijani military positions deployed in the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani borderline is yet another disinformation,” the statement issued by the Armenian Ministry of Defense reads.

 11:48, 6 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS.  Representatives of the Bulgarian community in Odessa were unanimous that it is important to have the voice of Bulgarians in Ukraine heard in Bulgaria and that the Bulgarian News Agency's (BTA) magazine LIK is helping to make this happen. They attended the presentation of the February issue of LIK titled "The Voice of Bulgarians in Ukraine" on March 3, Bulgaria's National Day, at the Bulgarian Cultural Centre in Odessa. It was presented by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev, Yulia Hristova, Deputy Director of the Bulgarian Media and Communities around the World Directorate, and LIK Editor-in-Chief Yanitsa Hristova.

Dmitry Terzi, Director of the Bulgarian Cultural Centre, told BTA that despite the difficult year, the Bulgarian community in Ukraine is standing firm. "We are standing firm because we hear Bulgaria and it hears us. We try to keep in touch with BTA. We see your coverage of the things we do here and we are very grateful. We hope that things will get better," said Terzi. "Times are very difficult, but we are a nation that has gone through such difficult times with dignity," he added. Children still go to the school in town, despite the anxiety and danger. "Others joined the army and many were killed. I want to do a photo exhibition for all who died, from children to adults," Terzi said.

Prof. Alexander Ganchev, a historian, also commented on the importance of the February issue of the LIK magazine. "Each publication is very important, including from a historical point of view," he said. Such a publication could be read 20, 50 or 100 years from now, and at some point it will become a historical source. "From the point of view of the presentation of Bulgarian culture, especially from the point of view of what is going on in Bulgaria, I think most people imagine the Bessarabian Bulgarians as a Bulgarian culture unchanged from two centuries ago," Ganchev said. What the LIK magazine is doing is very important: "It offers a much broader view of the life of Bessarabian Bulgarians and their culture. Poets and artists are featured, there is an interview with the eminent historian Nikolay Chervenkov. This is a multifaceted presentation of what the Bulgarians in Bessarabia are like, how they live and what their emotions, life and culture are like," Prof. Ganchev said.

Valentina Kaschi, who teaches Bulgarian language and literature at the Bulgarian Sunday school in Odessa, said she believes the February issue of LIK is of particular importance. "I think it is very important because the situation in Ukraine is very complicated now, but the Bulgarian community is there – it lives, works and remembers its country, it cherishes its Bulgarian customs, and loves and longs for its ancestral homeland endlessly," Kaschi said. "The more people in Bulgaria know about the life of Bessarabian Bulgarians in Ukraine – how children learn the Bulgarian language, how rural Bulgarian communities celebrate Bulgarian holidays even in the most difficult times, the more they read about us, the more they will get to know our history here in Ukraine and our traditions," the teacher said, adding that this will promote mutual respect.

 12:13, 6 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador-at-Large Edmon Marukyan expressed caution Monday regarding Azerbaijan’s disinformation falsely accusing Armenia of opening gunfire, noting that Baku usually does so while preparing for new provocations or attacks.

“Yesterday's attack by Azerbaijani sabotage group isn't the last news. Today Azerbaijan spreads fake news about shootings from the Armenian positions,” Marukyan tweeted. “Azerbaijan always spreads such lies while preparing for new provocation or attack. The Intl community must deter new attacks against Armenia & Nagorno Karabakh.”

 12:43, 6 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. The Chief of General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces and First Deputy Defense Minister Major-general Edward Asryan met with the Chief of Defense Staff of the Indian Armed Forces General Anil Chauhan during his visit to India last week, the defense ministry announced Monday.

Major-general Asryan was in India for the Raisina Dialogue international conference.

Major-general Edward Asryan and his Indian counterpart discussed “a number of issues related to bilateral cooperation and regional security, including the possibilities for enhancing the defense cooperation between Armenia and India,” the ministry of defense said in a read-out.

During the visit the Armenian general also participated in discussions on Armenian-Indian defense cooperation and regional security held by the office of the National Security Council of India where he presented the security challenges facing Armenia.

 12:53, 6 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Nagorno Karabakh authorities announced Monday they’re treating the March 5 ambush by Azeri forces as “international terrorism”.

In a statement, the General Prosecution of Nagorno Karabakh said it instituted a criminal case under article 415 of the Criminal Code. Article 415 deals with international terrorism cases.

Three Nagorno Karabakh police officers died and one was injured when they were ambushed by the Azerbaijani military while on duty in their police cruiser on March 5.

According to the prosecutors in Nagorno Karabakh, the Azeri ambush sought to “destabilize the domestic situation” in Nagorno Karabakh by killing or wounding people and destroying or damaging infrastructures and other property. The prosecutors said the attackers had intent to kill and murdered police Lt. Colonel Armen Babayan, police Major Davit Danielyan and police Lieutenant Ararat Gasparyan. Police Lt. Davit Hovsepyan suffered a gunshot wound and is hospitalized.

 12:59, 6 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. The Nagorno Karabakh police officer who survived the Azeri ambush on March 5 is in intensive care at the Republican Medical Center in Stepanakert after undergoing surgery for a gunshot wound to the chest, the ministry of healthcare has said.

The officer is in “stable serious” condition with mild positive dynamics.

Three officers died in the Azerbaijani ambush on a police vehicle in Nagorno Karabakh on March 5.

 13:13, 6 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. 15 out of the 20 people who tested positive for measles are residents of Yerevan, the Deputy Mayor Gevorg Simonyan revealed Monday.

“At this moment the number of lab confirmed measles cases in Armenia has reached 20. 18 of them are hospitalized. 15 of them are residents of Yerevan,” he said.

“All city polyclinics were brought to high alert over the weekend and worked to identify direct contacts, and carried out vaccination. “146 vaccinations were administrated in total [over the weekend],” the deputy mayor said.

Healthcare authorities recommend children get two doses of the measles vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. The Armenian healthcare ministry advised parents to get their children vaccinated if they’ve missed the immunization schedule.

At the same time, unvaccinated direct contacts of confirmed cases should also get vaccinated, healthcare authorities said.

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases. It is spread by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact or direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions.

The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to 2 hours. It can be transmitted by an infected person from 4 days prior to the onset of the rash to 4 days after the rash erupts, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Unvaccinated young children are at highest risk of measles and its complications. Unvaccinated pregnant women are also at risk. Any non-immune person (who has not been vaccinated or was vaccinated but did not develop immunity) can become infected.

The first sign of measles is usually a high fever, which begins about 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus, and lasts 4 to 7 days. A runny nose, a cough, red and watery eyes, and small white spots inside the cheeks can develop in the initial stage. After several days, a rash erupts, usually on the face and upper neck. Over about 3 days, the rash spreads, eventually reaching the hands and feet. 

People who missed their scheduled vaccination during their childhood or are unaware of their vaccination status are advised to get vaccinated. The vaccination is free of charge.

 13:33, 6 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. 50 applicants from Artsakh were unable to travel to Armenia to attend the winter round of the 2023 common entrance exams for admissions to universities because of the ongoing Azerbaijani blockade of Lachin Corridor, an education official has said. 

“We maintain direct contact with our Artsakh counterparts. We’ve already received the data on the 9th graders who had applied for the exams. We don’t have problems pertaining to the graduation exams, we send them the tests, and they print it out and organize the exam. But we do have problems with the common exams. We are now discussing this issue and we don’t rule out that applicants of Artsakh could be given the chance to pass the exam twice [in summer],” the Deputy Director of the Evaluation and Testing Center of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Karo Nasibyan said at a press conference on March 6.

 14:12, 6 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Parliament Majority Leader (Civil Contract faction) Hayk Konjoryan held a meeting on Monday with the Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin.

“Together with my colleagues MPs Babken Tunyan and Mikayel Tumasyan, I held a meeting today in parliament with the Ambassador of Russia to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin,” MP Konjoryan said on social media. “I drew the ambassador’s attention to the sabotage ambush committed by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on March 5 in Nagorno Karabakh which resulted in three Nagorno Karabakh police officers getting killed and one getting injured. I stated that the Lachin Corridor remains illegally blockaded by Azerbaijan for already 85 days, which constitutes a gross violation of the trilateral statement, and I called for an immediate opening of the Lachin Corridor.”

Issues related to economic cooperation between Armenia and Russia were also discussed. Cooperation in the inter-parliamentary format was highlighted.