KYIV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s health ministry will propose that the government maintains lockdown restrictions for the summer despite a fall in new coronavirus infections in the country, minister Viktor Lyashko said on Wednesday.
On Monday, Ukraine registered 535 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily number of infections over the previous 24 hours for nearly a year and the ministry said infection rates declined for eight consecutive weeks. However, it reported 1,385 new cases as of June 9 and 77 deaths.
“Despite the improvement in the situation, it should not be forgotten that COVID-19 has not been overcome,” Lyashko told a televised government meeting.
“None of the European countries in which the situation with infections and vaccinations has improved have completely abolished restrictive anti-epidemic measures,” he said, adding though that the government may soften some restrictions.
Lyashko did not clarify when the government might take a decision on the extended lockdown.
Ukraine, which has a population of 41 million, has been among the most affected European countries so far, with around 2.22 million COVID-19 cases and 51,410 deaths as of June 9.
(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
