Kyiv Mayor’s Coronavirus Update – March 30, 2020
30.03.2020
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 regret to report an increasing number of COVID-19 cases. In total there are 102 of them now in Kyiv, with 20 more persons tested positive in the past 24 hours. Four confirmed cases out of 20 are cases of family transmission, through direct contacts among family members. Four individuals were hospitalized, others receive medical care in their homes. Two people have recovered and been released from Oleksandrivska hospital.
Now some statistics. Overall 58 coronavirus patients have been hospitalized to Oleksandrivska hospital (38 patients), the city’s hospital No. 4 (13 persons) and the clinic No. 9 (7 individuals). The rest of the people who have been tested positive recover at home.
Out of those 102 individuals infected with the virus, 14 are from Holosiivski city district, 13 – from Darnytsa. There are four positive cases in Desnyanski and two in Dniprovski districts. Six infected people reside in Obolon and five in Podil. Svytoshynski district has eight cases and Shevchenkivski – seven. Pecherski city district is a hotspot for the infection, with 27 confirmed positive cases, followed by Solomyanski district with 16 coronavirus patients.
Some advisors recommend me not to deliver bad news, saying they are bad for my political image. They say, let your deputies or other officials report the statistics. But I think otherwise. As mayor of Kyiv, a senior official who is responsible for the city’s well-being, I have to report the full picture of what is happening, of our response to stop the outbreak and the full scope of threat both Kyiv and the country face.
Many Kyivans still think that they can remain immune to the infection… It is a silly and reckless attitude! Those who are being asked to stay home, are picnicking together with all their friends or crowding playgrounds. Ukrainians who return home from abroad refuse to quаrаntіnе thеmsеlvеs.
I would like to address such people: for God’s sake do think with your head! Instead, you are just mocking and thinking you will escape. You won’t! Any health system is unable to deal with too many infected patients in hospitals. Just look at the situation in Italy where doctors have to decide whom they will save… Look at other countries where the dead are being buried by hundreds, wіthоut hаvіng a mеmоrіаl service.
A great disaster is definitely waiting to happen in Kyiv if we kеер bеіng rесklеss and putting ourselves and people around in danger.
Let me bust a common myth and say that the infection affects also young people, not just older ones. There are plenty of infected people among young residents. Some of those who are seriously ill are just over 30. There are even two positive cases among children! I call on everyone to toss aside their illusions and take the situation seriously! Your commitment to avoid infection means your family, close contacts and many more people around are being kept safe.
Let me stress again that the tougher measures will be introduced if the spread of the virus continues to escalate. Please, do rely on information shared by the official sources. Up-to-date reports are widely available.
I want also to answer the criticism that the city government purchased rapid test kits similar to those that Spain has found inaccurate. Let me underline that as of March 12 the Chinese company Bioeasy that made the tests is officially certified in Ukraine as a supplier of four coronavirus testing kits. Tests made by Bioeasy and purchased for use in Kyiv are different from the ones failed in Spain. Faulty tests in Spain were antigen, ours are antibody detection tests. This is a big difference! I will state additionally that testing kits which we purchased, are officially authorised for use in Ukraine.
Kyiv also acquired and installed the equipment to run PCR tests for COVID-19. Another batch of tests will be coming soon. Over 1,000 items of protective gear for medical staff arrived yesterday to the city’s hospitals. 25,000 Ukraine-made protective facial masks are available as of today in municipal Pharmatsia pharmacies across the city. Soon more 75,000 such masks will be distributed in the city’s pharmacies. Let me remind that there are 380 ventilators in the dedicated clinics across Kyiv.
We do everything we can to handle this dangerous situation! But much depends on people’s perception of the fact that all our efforts are directed to ensure the safety and health of Kyivans. They are our top priority!