Covid-19 in South Caucasus: Delta strain arrives in Azerbaijan
On 13 July, the Azerbaijani National Center of Hematology reported that forty people who have recently arrived in the country from abroad had new mutations of Covid-19, 31 people had the variant B.1.617 (Delta) and 9 people the variant B.1.1 7 (20 Alpha V1, British variant).
It was also reported that the first research on the effectiveness of combining Sputnik V and AstraZeneca vaccines was being completed in Azerbaijan. The results of the study will be published in late July. In the past 24 hours, Azerbaijan reported 133 new cases of the virus and one death, bringing the total tally to 337,456 cases and 4,988 deaths.
Meanwhile in Georgia, the director of the National Center for Disease Control, Amiran Gamkrelidze, stated after the meeting of the Interagency Council that the country was facing a very difficult situation and may soon enter a difficult, fourth wave. He pointed out that the epidemic situation in the country was deteriorating and that it was the common responsibility of both the government and society to act in solidary when the country is in great danger.
In the past 24 hours, Georgia reported 1,862 new cases of the virus and 11 deaths, bringing the total tally to 379,673 cases and 5,479 deaths.