YEREVAN. – The [COVID-19] pandemic continues to be our biggest problem, and our other problems originate from here. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting of the government of Armenia.

He then asked the Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan to present the respective situation in the country. The Minister said: "During the previous day, we had an absolute record number of 771 new cases; 2,336 tests were performed. The number of new cases fluctuates within 30% of the tests; that is, the situation does not change in that sense, but given that the absolute number is very important in terms of ensuring access to medical care, it’s all the same; the situation is perhaps stable, but tense.

We are in a pretty good position in terms of hospitalization. As of 9am, we have only 51 citizens in need of transfer to hospitals dealing with the coronavirus, only two of whom are at home. The remaining 49 are in other hospitals; in this sense, the situation is good.

In terms of bed capacity, there are a few empty spaces at all intensive care units, but it happens very quickly. We don't have people who need and don’t receive medical care, but that again doesn't mean that the situation has improved.

The number of patients in severe and critical conditions is also stable—fluctuating within 600, and more specifically, 502 are in severe condition, 113—in critical condition; 40 people are hooked up to ventilators."