Georgia to impose general quarantine over coronavirus

TBILISI: Georgia will impose a general quarantine and a nighttime curfew to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the Black Sea nation´s prime minister announced Monday.

"The dynamics of the growth in new cases (of the COVID-19 disease) is alarming," Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia told a news conference. "We are declaring a general quarantine as of 8 am (0400 GMT)" on Tuesday, during which people will only be permitted to leave homes for essential shopping, he said.

Gakharia said a "curfew from 9 pm to 6 am" will also be imposed nationwide. The ex-Soviet country of some 3.7 million people has so far reported 100 cases of COVID-19. As of Monday, there were no fatalities, and 18 people have recovered.

Other new measures would include a ban on public gatherings of more than three people, and a suspension of public transport, except for taxis. Body temperature screening check-points will be set up in the streets of all major cities.