COVID-19 in Ukraine: 272 dead, 10,861 cases, 455 new infections

The number of officially confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ukraine has reached 10,861 as of 9:00 a.m. on May 1, according to Ukraine’s health ministry. In total, 272 people have died from the disease in Ukraine and 1,413 patients have recovered.

In the past 24 hours, Ukraine has identified 455 new COVID-19 cases.

As of May 1, the largest number of coronavirus cases in Ukraine has been registered in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast (2,147 cases), Chernivtsi Oblast (1,667 cases), Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (899 cases), Ternopil Oblast (793 cases), Rivne Oblast (658 cases), Lviv Oblast (454 cases), Zakarpattia Oblast (432 cases) and Vinnitsya Oblast (425 cases.)

Among the confirmed cases, there are 754 children and 2,154 medical workers, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said at a briefing on May 1.

During the briefing, Stepanov also said authorities would ease quarantine restrictions starting May 11, a plan which will be discussed on May 6 at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. He did not specify how restrictions would change.

In the past 24 hours, Ukrainian laboratories have administered 6,942 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, he said.

In total, 111,859 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in laboratories since the beginning of the outbreak. The actual number of people tested has not been disclosed.

Speaking at an earlier briefing on April 30, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov called on citizens to comply with the quarantine rules and stay home during the May holidays. He pointed out that, despite the ban, more people are spending time in parks and going to mass protests. 

The health minister’s remarks came a day after several hundred entrepreneurs rallied in front of the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv demanding the reopening of small businesses and equal working conditions with some large businesses that still operate. 

“I understand that it’s hard to be in lockdown for six weeks, but nobody would keep it in place or keep small businesses closed if there were no reasons for it,” he said. “When you violate the quarantine, think of your loved ones.”