Government tightens security measures to prevent the introduction and spread of the new coronavirus on the territory of Ukraine- - from 8 p.m today, temperature screening measures will cover inbound travellers from countries where coronavirus cases have been confirmed. Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk announced during a briefing on the results of the operational headquarters meeting.

"We are strengthening security measures. In addition to checks at airports, we start checking at checkpoints. Many Ukrainian citizens are in Italy and other countries where the cases of infection were reported. Many people come by bus, in particular, through the checkpoint Tysa. Starting from today, similar security measures will be taken there", Oleksiy Honcharuk said.

The Head of Government added that a representative of the State Border Guard Service will arrive in that area to personally monitor and organize the work on tightening control at the checkpoint in the Zakarpattya region. Subsequently, the same regime will be used in other border points.

"There are 32 checkpoints in Ukraine. No passengers who will have symptoms of the disease will enter the territory of Ukraine unnoticed", Head of the State Border Guard Service Serhiy Deyneko stressed.

The Prime Minister stressed that there is no reason to worry. All responsible services are working in synergy within the operational headquarters.

"A sufficient number of individual isolation rooms and teams of infection disease doctor are ready. We do not feel any deficit. Therefore, any widespread concern is groundless. Ukraine is ready to contain any danger and prevent the spread of the virus," the Head of Government stressed.

In the case of disease occurrence on the territory of Ukraine, the relevant infectious teams are fully prepared and provided with the necessary sanitary and epidemiological means.

Test kits have been delivered to the laboratories to identify the causative agent of the disease, which gives an understanding of the situation. At the same time, new cases of a coronavirus have declined in the world.

"There is a decrease in the incidence of the disease. According to statistics, 80% of those cases have been reported in Hubei. The other 3% of cases have been reported in other 29 countries, " Deputy Minister of Health Viktor Liashko added.

As to the coronavirus outbreak in Italy, according to the Ambassador of Ukraine to Italy Yevhen Perelyhin, there are no Ukrainian citizens among the infected.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with the Embassy of Ukraine in Italy and the Consulate General of Ukraine in Milan and Naples, conduct around-the-clock monitoring of the situation around the spread of coronavirus in the country. Around-the-clock hotline for Ukrainian citizens work.

It should be recalled that there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ukraine. Ukrainians evacuated from China, who are staying already five days in quarantine in Novi Sanzhary, have no fever or other symptoms of the disease.

Background

Recommendations for Ukrainian citizens in Italy are available on the website of Foreign Ministry http://tripadvisor.mfa.gov.ua/?p=1720

Round-the-clock hotlines for Ukrainian citizens in the case of an emergency are operating in Ukraine’s Embassy in Italy and Consulate General in Milan and Naples.

- Embassy of Ukraine in Italy: (+39) 3519 886 823

- Consulate General of Ukraine in Milan: (+39) 3487 254 038

- Consulate General of Ukraine in Naples: +39-327-736-48-22