Slowing infection rate proves quarantine effectiveness, Zelensky says

7 April 2020

Recent data show that the government’s quarantine measures are effective in reducing coronavirus infections, Ukrainian President Zelensky told a daily meeting on Apr. 6 of top officials to discuss the situation. The number of newly infected patients was 68 on Apr. 5, a sharp decline from prior days. Six people died that day from the COVID-19 disease, all of whom suffer from severe chronic disease, the President’s Office said on its website. “The decline in the amount of coronavirus infections is the result of the quarantine. We would have had many more illnesses, as in European countries. So our measures were timely and correct,” Zelensky told the meeting, as reported by the web site.

 

Ukraine has restricted border crossings to 19 checkpoints as of Apr. 7, allowing only for vehicular traffic, the State Border Service announced that day, as reported by the pravda.com.ua news site. A total of 115 vehicular border crossings have been temporarily closed, while another 28 pedestrian crossings are temporarily closed, the service said. “People need to understand that crossing the border by foot will be practically impossible,” said a border service spokesman.

 

As of noon, Apr. 7, 45 people have died in Ukraine from the COVID-19 disease. Seven infected people died on Apr. 6. An estimated 1,462 have been infected, an increase of 11%, or 143 cases, from the prior day, according to the Center for Public Health of the Health Ministry. An estimated 28 patients are confirmed to have recovered. Of the 143 infection cases, 28 were reported in the highly stricken Chernivtsi region, of which six were medical workers.

 

Zenon Zawada: We agree with the president that the severe quarantine measures have avoided a catastrophe at Ukraine’s poorly financed hospitals. It’s too early to claim victory as the peak has yet to be reached though, and fortunately state officials are aware of this. A recent poll indicated that the public supports the government’s response to the virus pandemic. So if the government maintains its course, the president will be earning political capital from this situation to offset his failures and embarrassments in other spheres. And he can shift any negative fallout on his mild-mannered prime minister.