Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia-Related top news as of 28.04.2020:

·       The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 1,867 in Armenia, and one new death has been reported.

Thus, 866 COVID-19 patients have recovered thus far, whereas 30 others have died.

According to Armenian health ministry’s spokesperson Alina Nikoghosyan, the latest COVID-19 casualty was 67 years old and had concomitant chronic illnesses.

·       In the meantime, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan has noted that according to their calculations, Armenia will be in this crisis for at least a year.

"The crisis throws new challenges at every turn, and we must address them,” the PM added.

Besides, the finance minister Atom Janjughazyan noted that the pandemic will increase unemployment in the country and possibly the number of bankruptcies.

In turn, Armenian deputy PM and the commandant of the current state of emergency Tigran Avinyan has signed a decision to ease some restrictions: the country’s residents will now be allowed to stroll within a distance of a km from the places of their residence with no more than two adults or family members.

·      About a dozen citizens were protesting in front of the Armenian government’s building demanding to turn the natural gas and electricity back on in their homes.

The police asked the protesters to isolate and not to violate the current state of emergency urging the protesters ‘to voice your issue in another way.’

"The [natural] gas and the lights are off in my house," said one of the protesters. "Perhaps seeing this protest, the commandant will make exceptions.”

·       Armenian ex-president Robert Kocharyan has been taken to hospital for post-operative examination on Tuesday morning.

"Based on the results of the study, a decision will be made on the nature of the further treatment," his office said in a statement.

·       The Yerevan Council of Elders made a decision to place a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in one of Yerevan parks.

The statue will be provided by the Indian side, which will also cover the expenses related to the transfer of this statue to Yerevan, as well as the construction of its pedestal and the installation.