The internal spread of Omicron has started in Georgia. Such a statement made today the Head of the National Center for Disease Control after the meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council.

“It is still possible to find contacts with laboratory-confirmed cases. I confirm that there is an internal spread. These are no longer imported cases. The hospitalization rate in the case of the Omicron strain is from 5 to 10%. The peak is expected at the beginning of February - we may have up to 60 000 cases per day.

Our specialists studied 621 cases of Omicron. Their average age is 32.9 years. Of these, 71 were under 18. There were 13 children under the age of 5, including three children under six months. 83% of cases were reported among Georgian citizens.

Out of these 621 cases, hospitalization of 11 people became necessary. 7 of them have already been discharged, while four remain in clinics. None of them needed intensive therapy and resuscitation”, - said Amiran Gamkrelidze.

Besides, as he added, quarantine and isolation terms for COVID-infected persons and their contacts will reduce based on the protocol, which the Centre and Health Ministry planned to discuss in the nearest future.