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Ukrainian Health Minister Maksym Stepanov says that the number of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for the COVID-19 coronavirus done in the past 24 hours has reached 29,708, which is a record high figure.

Read alsoUkraine reports over 2,500 new COVID-19 cases on Sept 10In total, 55,503 tests were conducted in the country in the past day. In particular, there were 29,708 tests done with the use of the PCR method and 25,795 with the application of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method, he said at a briefing on September 10.

"This is an absolute record. As we promised, the number of PCR tests per day in September is planned to increase to 30,000. So, you can see how we are increasing the number of tests done by this method for diagnosing COVID-19," he said.

According to Stepanov, the number of PCR tests has increased from 200 per day in early April to over 29,700 as of today, September 10.

"We continue boosting capacities [of testing]," the minister summed up.

Quarantine in Ukraine: Background

  • The adaptive quarantine was introduced on August 1.
  • The Ukrainian regions were split into the green, yellow, orange, and red zones depending on hospital bed occupancy, the average number of PCR and ELISA tests, the ascertainment rate of COVID-19, and daily spread dynamics.
  • Quarantine-related curbs differ in each zone. The mildest ones are in the green zone, the regions included in the red zone will have to introduce the toughest restrictions.
  • Updated quarantine zoning became effective in Ukraine on August 17. Kyiv became part of the yellow zone.
  • On August 26, the Cabinet of Ministers extended the adaptive quarantine until November 1.
  • On September 3, the government reviewed the list of quarantine zones, expanding the red zone.
  • The Ukrainian Health Ministry on September 7 updated its protocol for patients with suspected coronavirus.