YEREVAN (Reuters) – Armenia said on Monday it had extended until Aug. 12 a state of emergency to try to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus as the number of daily infections has yet to start declining.
Despite the state of emergency, almost all sectors of the Armenian economy are functioning after businesses reopened in early May to ward off economic collapse.
But the country’s borders remain closed and international flights have not resumed.
Armenia, a country of around 3 million, has registered 32,151 confirmed coronavirus cases and 573 deaths so far from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
It is the worst-affected country in the South Caucasus region and hundreds of new infections are still being recorded each day.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said earlier this month that if people did not follow anti-epidemic measures, Armenia might face a new lockdown, which could cause a severe economic crisis.
His government has made wearing face masks in public mandatory.
Specialists from foreign countries and international organisations arrived in Armenia last month to help the country fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Reporting by Nvard Hovhannisyan; Editing by Barbara Lewis)
