Another eight people die in Armenia from Covid-19

YEREVAN, January 2. /ARKA/. As of today morning, Armenian health authorities have reported a total of 159,798 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

According to a Health Ministry's Facebook post, 60 new cases have been confirmed over the past 24 hours, and another 8 people have died from COVID-19. It said also that some 285 patients have recovered during that time span.

The drop in confirmed cases is explained by the less number of people (540 only) tested for the infection during the first day of the new year, which is a non-working day in Armenia

Two people infected with coronavirus have died of other causes, the ministry said. The total number of such deaths stands now at 687.

Overall, 596,416 coronavirus tests have been carried out in Armenia since March 1, 2020, when the first case of the infection was reported. The disease is said to have killed 2,836 people so far, 143 640 patients have recovered and another 12, 635 patients are being treated currently.

Gayane Sahakyan, the deputy director of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said earlier that the government has placed order for 600,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines with World Health Organization-backed COVAX Facility,  the global initiative to ensure rapid and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries, regardless of income level.

In her words, the first batch of vaccines is expected in Armenia in February. The first in line to be vaccinated are medical and social workers, seniors and people suffering from chronic diseases.

On September 11, the Armenian government replaced the state of emergency, declared on March 16 to stop the spread of coronavirus, with nationwide quarantine regime that will  be in force until January 11, 2021. -0-