On 4 January, Georgia reported the first case of the Covid-19 mutation that originated in the United Kingdom.

“There were three suspicious cases in the study in total. In two cases the existence of this strain was not established. In one sample, taken in December, a mutation characteristic of the new ‘British’ strain S gene was confirmed,” stated Georgia’s National Center for Disease Control (NCDC). The patient was a man over 50, whose condition is satisfactory and is in isolation. His contacts have been identified. A positive coronavirus result of one contact was found. This contact entered Georgia from another country and has already returned to the same country.

The Head of the NCDC Paata Imnadze said that the new coronavirus strain is no different from the old Covid-19 in clinical progression. “After the data on a new strain was published, we examined all the positive tests in Georgia to see suspicious positive cases. All other cases that were positive in Georgia were positive for all three genes. The contacts of these patients have already undergone the 14-day isolation period. Our new mutant strain patient has no travel history. But he had contact with a person who had a travel history before becoming ill. A sample of this person has been found, and sequencing is underway,” Imnadze said. 

However, the country’s Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia called on citizens to exercise more caution and follow the recommendations since the new coronavirus strain spreads faster. She urged the population to follow the safety rules, especially on Orthodox Christmas Eve, when mobility restrictions will be lifted. 

In the past 24 hours, Georgia reported 2,316 new cases of Covid-19 and 18 deaths, bringing the total tally to 232,079 cases and 2,646 deaths. However, the number of active Covid-19 cases decreased significantly to 6,620 individuals in comparison to 20,393 on 28 November when the lockdown in the country was imposed.