On 16 March, the Armenian government declared a state of emergency in order to contain the novel coronavirus, reported tert.am. The measure will be effective until April 14. 

Armenia’s Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan announced the decision at the cabinet’s special meeting on Monday, also unveiling a plan to establish a curfew service under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan.

The measure came after the so-called “Echmiadzin-incident” were 18 new cases emerged in the country, bringing the current tally up to 30, after an engagement party in the town. It was held by an Armenia citizen who had returned from Italy and later tested positive for the infection. Afterwards the town of Echmiadzin was put under tight government scrutiny with only 3 exit points and temperature screening.

On 15 March, shopping centers, entertainment facilities and other public institutions throughout the country announced their temporary closing in order to combat the spread of the virus.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced his self isolation on 13 March together with his wife Anna Hakobyan after local media raised concerns about Hakobian’s contacts with the wife of President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro during a visit to the South American country on 7 March. The Brazilian leader has since said he tested negative for the virus after it was discovered that an aide and another senior government official were infected. Both Pashinyan and his spouse were already twice tested negative for the disease. 

Pashinyan also spoke on the upcoming referendum on constitutional amendments scheduled for 5 April, by saying that “no political goal can be above public health.” 

He also agreed with the Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on mutual travel restrictions for a week.

Pashinyan also reported about the recovery of Armenia’s first coronavirus patient who was hospitalized on 1 March. He said the 29-year-old man who had been evacuated from Iran was going to be discharged from hospital soon after testing negative for the second time.