COVID cases rise sharply as holiday season ends

Ukraine’s Health Ministry recorded 5,072 cases of
COVID-19 on Jan. 16, the ministry reported. There were 78 deaths recorded. Most
of the cases were recorded in western Ukraine.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko is self-isolating after contacting
COVID for a second time. The mayor, who is vaccinated, is working from home, he
posted on Facebook on Jan. 16.

James Hydzik: The
COVID-related case load has risen sharply in January. For comparison, between
Dec. 25, 2020, and Mar. 4, 2021, Ukraine’s COVID caseload bottomed, and between
those dates, fewer than 10,000 cases were reported per day, with a minimum of
2,030 cases on Feb. 1. However, Ukraine passed through the 10,000 case points
between Dec. 12, 2021 and Jan. 13, 2022, according to Health Ministry data. The
caseload reached a minimum of 1,746 cases on Jan. 4, 2022.

The Health Ministry has been warning of an
impending omicron-related wave. While we do not have information regarding the prevalence
of omicron strain among the current cases, the next wave does seem to be
forming, and a new round of quarantine restrictions is likely after some weeks.