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A leading expert on infectious diseases at Ukraine's Health Ministry, Olha Holubovska, says the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients hospitalized has increased, while a new surge in COVID-19 cases is expected nationwide following the New Year and Christmas holidays.

The situation has relatively calmed down in hospitals for the time being, whereas the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a grave condition is growing, she told the Ukrainian online news outlet Obozrevatel on January 4.

"There was a collapse in October-November. There was a huge number of those hospitalized amid capacity shortage, which required additional wards to be open," she said.

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Read alsoLockdown in Ukraine on Jan 8-24: RegulationsToday, there are really fewer patients in hospitals. Also, the number of free beds increased in December, the expert added.

The coronavirus, Holubovska says, may weaken across the country, but not disappear.

"COVID-19 is not expected to vanish in spring, although it will weaken markedly. At least, we hope so. However, the coronavirus proves that not all forecasts come true," she summed up.

Coronavirus in Ukraine: Latest

Ukraine said 5,334 new active COVID-19 cases had been confirmed across the country in the past 24 hours as of January 5, 2021.

The total number of confirmed cases grew to 1,083,585 as of January 5, 2021