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2020 coronavirus pandemic in Belarus | |
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![]() Map of regions with confirmed (red) or suspected (blue) coronavirus cases (as of 1 April 2020)
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Disease | COVID-19 |
Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
Location | Belarus |
First outbreak | China |
Index case | Minsk |
Arrival date | 28 February 2020 |
Confirmed cases | 163 |
Recovered | 47 |
Deaths | 2 |
The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Belarus, when the first case of COVID-19 in the country was registered in Minsk on 28 February 2020.[1]
On 28 February, Belarus confirmed its first case. A student from Iran tested positive on 27 February and was admitted to a hospital in Minsk.[2][1] The individual arrived in Belarus via a flight from Baku, Azerbaijan, on 22 February.[2][3]
As of 3 March, there were 4 confirmed cases in Belarus.[4]
On 4 March, the Ministry of Health of Belarus confirmed 6 new cases of the disease: 4 cases in Minsk, 2 cases in Vitebsk.[5]
On 13 March, 27 cases were confirmed in Grodno, Gomel, Minsk, Vitebsk, and Minsk Oblast, including 5 students from the Faculty of International Relations of Belarusian State University.[6] Three patients were discharged from hospitals.[7][8]
On 16 March, the health ministry stated that the number of confirmed cases reached 36.[9] No new laboratory confirmed cases were reported on 17 March.[10]
As of 18 March, a total of 51 confirmed cases have been registered, including 5 recoveries and 37 cases of asymptomatic infection course.[11][12]
As of 20 March, 69 cases have been registered, including 15 recoveries and 42 cases of asymptomatic infection course.[13][14]
As of 21 March, a total of 76 confirmed cases have been reported.[15]
As of 23 March, 81 confirmed cases have been reported, including 22 recoveries. According to the official data, more than 21,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Belarus since 23 January.[16][17]
As of 25 March, a total of 86 confirmed cases have been reported, including 29 recoveries.[18]
As of 27 March, a total of 94 confirmed cases have been reported, including 32 recoveries.[19]
As of 30 March, a total of 152 confirmed cases have been reported, including 47 recoveries. More than 30,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted to date since 23 January.[20]
On 31 March, an officially unconfirmed death of a test-positive 75 years old patient in Vitebsk was reported by the media. Reportedly, the patient suffered from a chronic pulmonary decease.[21][22][23] Later that day, the first case of death due to COVID-19 was confirmed by the Ministry of Health of Belarus.[24]
On 1 April, the second death of elderly COVID-19 patient with chronic deceases was reported by the Ministry of Health. According to the report, as of 1 April 2020, there were 163 COVID-19 cases registered in Belarus, including 2 deaths and at least 47 recoveries.[25] However, the ambiguity of the latest government reports has led to unofficial counting attempts, based on the official data, according to which the actual number of COVID-19 cases in Belarus could be as high as 217.[26] On that same day, the first COVID-19 case in Brest Region was reported by the officials.[27]
On 25 March 2020, a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine requirement was instituted for persons entering Belarus from countries affected by the pandemic, with the exception of diplomats and their families, air crews and persons transiting Belarus on return to their home countries.[28]
As of 30 March, Belarus has not initiated a nation-wide quarantine effort.[20] That, as well as the gradual decrease in transparency of the official reports on the pandemic, led to criticism from the press and population, emphasizing absence of the up-to-date information about the territories affected by the virus, decreased update frequency and increased ambiguity of the official reports, as well as restraint of the non-governmental media from the government sessions on the epidemiological situation in the country.[29]
On 30 March 2020, Belarus and IMF have started negotiations on the $900 million loan intended to compensate the economic losses from the coronavirus pandemic.[30]
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Growth factor is defined as today's new cases/new cases on the previous day. It is indicative of the evolution of the pandemic. A continuously decreasing factor indicates that the pandemic is under control.[31]
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