COVID-19 cases spike past 1,000 again

The Ukrainian government has decided to expand its
newly adopted policy of assigning color-based zones based on the COVID-19
infection rate, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov told his daily press briefing
this morning. As of Aug. 1, the four-color zones will be assigned not only to the nation’s regions, but also to
the countries to which Ukrainian citizens travel to, he said. The zone
designations will be renewed once a week, he said, as opposed to once every
three days currently. The two indicators applied to countries are: the infection
dynamics for the last 14 days as compared to Ukraine’s, and the percentage of
those ill in the last 14 days, as compared to the prior 14 days, which can’t
exceed 30%.

The color-based zones will also be applied to
countries from which Ukrainian citizens are returning from, the
eurointegration.com.ua news site reported on July 28, citing the Health
Ministry. Those returning from red zones, or countries were the infection rate
is higher than 55 per 100,000, will have to either undergo self-quarantine or
undergo a PRC test. Among these red zone countries, which have a high level of
tourist activity, are Bulgaria, Montenegro and Albania.

Cases of the COVID-19 disease caused by the
coronavirus swelled to 1,022 on July 28, according to the latest Health
Ministry statistics. That’s compared to 919 on July 27 and 807 on July 26. On
July 28, an estimated 21 people died from COVID-19, while 650 recovered. The
latest high-profile Ukrainian to fall victim to the COVID-19 disease is Danylo
Hetmantsev, the head of the parliamentary finances, tax and customs policy
committee. He is a member of The People’s Servant party. 

Zenon Zawada: The third spike of the first wave of the coronavirus is continuing,
but we don’t expect the government to take any measures towards restrictions.
The main issue is Ukrainians will remain forbidden to travel freely to the E.U.
for the remainder of the summer, which is contributing to the Zelensky administration’s falling support. We see the results of that in heightened protest activity, on both the pro- and anti-Russian sides.
Participating in the October local elections will also intensify, to the
disadvantage of The People’s Servant party loyal to Zelensky.