On 7 April, the Caucasus breakaway regions of Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh both reported their first cases of the novel coronavirus. 

The de facto authorities in Abkhazia said that the infected individual is a 57-year-old man from Gagra who travelled to Russia. As soon as that first case was reported, the de facto authorities banned movement on the Psou River until 20 April. An exception would be made for the representatives of the diplomatic agencies, employees of the Russian Ministry of Defense, as well as employees of the Russian Federal Security Service and cargo truck drivers. 

Responding to the issue, the Georgian Reconciliation Minister Ketevan Tsikhelashvili reaffirmed that Georgia is ready to provide support for its citizens living in the occupied regions. She expressed hope that the de facto authorities will be able to address the issue in line with recommendations and take steps to trace people who had contact with the infected man.  

As for Nagorno-Karabakh, the region’s information centre wrote on Facebook that the infected person recently returned from Armenia from where the disease could have been imported. Entries into the city Lachin, where the infected person was identified, have been halted.

The two breakaway regions held their elections recently, amid the Covid-19 pandemic. On 22 March, presidential elections were held in Abkhazia. The opposition candidate Aslan Bzhania won with 56% of the votes in a three-man race (Caucasus Watch reported). On 31 March, the internationally non-recognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh organized elections for the new de facto president and parliament (Caucasus Watch reported). The presidential vote run-off between Arayik Harutyunyan and Masis Mayilyan is scheduled for 14 April.