Kyiv Mayor’s Coronavirus Update – April 14, 2020
14.04.2020
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: Overnight we have another 56 new laboratory confirmed cases of coronavirus and one more death, taking the total cases to 551. New cases include 26 females (26 – 74 years old), 24 males (21-82 years old) and six children, three girls and three boys (3-7 years old). Sadly, one more patient has died. 11 patients are in hospitals, others are receiving treatment at their homes. Five medics have been infected over the past 24 hours.
Let me note that two more clergymen were tested positive for COVID-19. Today’s death is the second virus-related in Lavra, a 42-year old priest who has been hospitalized earlier.
Yesterday we had to take stronger measures to stop the virus spread in the Lavra cluster. The National Guard and police were deployed there for entry-exit control. A mobile health team was sent to Lavra to collect samples for PCR testing among 230 clergymen and 68 Lavra students. Medics detected three sick people there and hospitalized two of them. One individual has refused. Today health workers are to run more PCR tests for the virus among students and teachers of Lavra seminary. As of today, the premises of Lavra will be routinely sanitised, all Lavra monks will have daily health check-ups.
I am asking all Kyivans and Ukrainians to celebrate Easter at your homes. Do not endanger yourselves and your immediate families! We do not want a huge spike of new infection cases after the festivities. Hardly anyone ever dreams of landing up in the hospital with COVID-19.
By the way, as promised I inspected the city hospital No.4 in Solomyanski district, designed to treat patients with coronavirus. I even took some video which is available on kiev.klichko.org.
Starting Thursday, April 16 the police will closely monitor the incoming traffic at all city’s entry points. All drivers and passengers will undergo a mandatory temperature screening.
Under the ruling of the Kyiv Emergency Commission, the city’s cemeteries will stay closed for Easter-related gravesite vіsіtаtіоn. At the suggestion of top clerics, religious memorial services at cemeteries are put off until June 6.
The Emergency Commission has imposed a strict mandatory 14 days quarantine order and immediate shutdown of any Kyiv-based facility or factory where a new coronavirus case emerged.
As I said, the city government did everything possible to stockpile facial masks and protective gear for the medical staff. We have over 13,000 coronavirus rapid testing kits in Kyiv’s health facilities. Kyiv also acquired and installed the equipment to run PCR tests for COVID-19. Currently, there are 380 ventilators in the dedicated clinics across Kyiv. 14 hospital units have been set up as dedicated coronavirus facilities which can hold up to 1,700 infected people altogether. More 7,000 critical care beds are ready to be deployed if needed. But that will not be enough in a worst-case scenario.
The terrible experience of Italy, Spain and the USA shows that it is practically impossible to predict how this pandemic will progress. But it is feasible to reduce the pandemic risk. The Kyiv Emergency Commission which is the pandemic task force meets every day to upgrade our strategy and decide on our further steps.
It is vitally important to follow the restriction rules and stay home order while we can still control the virus spread. The Parliament can introduce more and more penalties, the police can intensify patrols in parks, but unless people abide by the restriction order, we will see the virus skyrocket.
As the wildfires are raging in Chornobyl’s exclusion zone, I am often asked about a possible radiation hazard for Ukraine’s capital. 405 firefighters from across Ukraine and 94 firefighting vehicles and some aircrafts are trying to combat the flames. The blaze has been caused by a careless burning of dry grass. The city closely watches the radiation level. There is no radiation spike recorded in Kyiv, now it does not exceed the normal level.
Unfortunately, backyard burns and careless campfires are common practice across Ukraine. Over the past week, the city fire brigades have attended 57 local fires. There are also seasonal smouldering peatland fires located in 4 hectares wide zone in Kyiv’s suburbs.
Let me remind that the Parliament has established a ₴150,000 fine for anyone who starts an open-air fire. Please, call the police every time you witness any cases of setting a fire outdoors.