Kyiv Mayor’s Coronavirus Update – December 21, 2020
21.12.2020
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: There are new 673 coronavirus cases overnight in Kyiv, which include 402 women (20-86 years old), 247 men (20-90 years old) and 24 children. 21 healthcare workers tested positive overnight. With this, the total number of cases rose to 101,123.
564 Kyivans recovered in the past 24 hours, taking the number of recoveries up to a total of 32,739. There are 10 more virus-related fatalities, raising the death toll to 1,723.
47 patients are hospitalized. The highest number of new virus transmissions, 210 came from Darnytsky district.
The number of coronavirus hospital admissions remains steadily high. Currently, there are 1,996 coronavirus hospitalisations in Kyiv, including 19 children. 1,319 patients are receiving supplemental oxygen. 1,061 in-patients are very ill, 28 of them are on a ventilator. The bed occupancy rate slightly exceeds 48 per cent.
You may know that the Parliament has approved the 2021 budget, which leaves the public healthcare underfunded. We cannot let this happen in Kyiv, so I tasked the relevant departments with contributing extra funds to pay municipal hospitals’ staff their monthly bonuses. Accordingly, doctors will earn additional ₴5,000 per month, nurses and attendants ₴4,000 and ₴2,000 respectively. At the extraordinary meeting on December 22, the City Council will consider the allocation and I hope they will agree to my proposal and 30,000 Kyiv’s medical professionals will earn their increased payments starting next year. We have to do everything possible to support the medical workers to the best of our ability.
As of today, three schools are quarantined. Students from a total of 640 classes in 227 schools are learning remotely. 901 students and 780 teachers are active coronavirus cases.
151 kindergarten classes in 122 pre-schools and five kindergartens are temporarily closed for quarantine. The current kindergarten attendance is over 54%.
People aged 65 years and over tend to take longer to recover from COVID-19. They are also at greater risk of death as well as those with previous health issues such as diabetes, chronic heart or lung diseases. Another reason for long-term complications of the coronavirus disease is the ignored symptoms and self-medicating rather than seeking medical care. People with COVID-19 symptoms are eligible for free testing at the state testing facilities, but only medical professionals can decide who should get tested. Please remember that at first sight of symptoms you should call your family doctor who will send a mobile response group to collect your samples for a PCR test. Unfortunately, many patients take self-prescribed antibiotics and other medications that do not work for COVID-19. Instead, a doctor should select a treatment plan based on laboratory tests.
Also, coronavirus fatalities in Kyiv are mostly men. Since the beginning of the outbreak in Kyiv deaths are 952 men and 771 women.
Finally, I want to say a few words about the upcoming winter holiday. To redistribute people’s flows and prevent overcrowding we offer seven different New Year locations and markets this year. Please, explore them observing the public health recommendations. Please, stay careful and responsible, remember to wear your facial mask and keep a distance.