Kyiv Mayor’s Coronavirus Update – September 11, 2020
11.09.2020
The mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko held a briefing providing an update on the coronavirus situation in Ukraine’s capital and the measures the city is taking to respond.
Klitschko: I have more troubling news today.
The National Emergency Commission has declared Kyiv the orange zone following the surge in COVID-19 cases.
Kyiv saw the highest single-day rise in new cases, with 404 infections registered overnight. Among them are 33 children. New cases include 215 women (18-84 years old) and 156 men (18-81 years old). 13 medical professionals are also confirmed positive.
As of today, the total number of coronavirus cases in Kyiv reaches 16, 523. There are 5,170 recoveries from the infection, with 168 in the past 24 hours. Seven more deaths rose the death toll to 261.
58 people were admitted to the city hospitals. The highest number of new infections, 81 have been reported in Darnytsky district.
The number of coronavirus hospitalisations so far stands at 968, 23 children included. 176 people are very sick, 255 need oxygen support and 19 are on a ventilator. More 92 in-patients are awaiting test results. 418 people have been admitted to hospitals with pneumonia.
The orange epidemiological zone means tougher restrictions in force, apart from restrictions of green and yellow zones. Those new measures imposed by the national government allow no mass gathering of more than 220 persons, with occupant density of one person per ten square metres. Fitness centres and gyms can operate with the indoor arrangement of one person per ten square metres. Colleges and universities must limit the number of students in groups to 20.
Hospitals cancel elective operations and screening procedures, continuing only with emergency cases, baby deliveries and post-natal care, cancer surgeries and palliative care.
Both the municipal and privately-owned transit transport must operate at 50% of its capacity. The same restriction is being put into place for private cars.
New admissions to children’s summer camps and sanitariums are not allowed. Businesses providing accommodation except for hotels will close.
I want to urge the police to ensure that people who have tested positive and are being treated at home are complying with self-isolation orders. Unfortunately, despite multiple warnings against it, some infected people with no symptoms still visit public places! The police are responsible for tracing and limiting the movements of those with a positive coronavirus diagnosis.
We control the situation in schools so far because the municipal authority has thoroughly prepared them to the resumption. But since the COVID-19 prevalence in Kyiv is high, children’s health is of our particular concern and we are ready to change our strategy accordingly.
Currently, 426 schools out of 428 operate in Kyiv. Two remain closed due to coronavirus infections among school teachers. 126 classes in 50 schools across the city are back to remote learning due to COVID-19 transmissions among students. Overall, 174 school students and 83 teachers are active coronavirus cases.
Also, two kindergartens in Desnyansky and Pechersky districts are quarantined so far. Attendance in 554 municipal kindergartens is almost 51% because many children stay home due to the high risk of infection.
Finally, a few words about the bed capacity in the city coronavirus hospitals.
Currently, the total bed capacity in all 18 dedicated coronavirus municipal hospitals is increased to 2,000 beds. On average, there are two- and three-bedded hospital rooms, all of which are isolated and have an oxygen flow system. There are over 400 ventilators available in the hospitals and enough medications and protective gear.
I do not want to scare anybody but any jump in coronavirus cases can change the situation any moment. A sharp hospitalization rate increase may lead to a failure of the healthcare system and we will have to deploy field hospitals and return to the strict lockdown. This is hаrdly whаt аnуоnе wаnts.
As the city authority, we do everything we can to protect Kyivans. Please, help us and play your own part. Please, stop being irresponsible!