March 26, 2020 - 14:02 AMT
Three Armenian servicemen test positive for coronavirus

Three Armenian servicemen not involved in combat operations have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan said in a statement on Thursday, March 26.

Tonoyan said it is impossible to prevent the penetration of the infection into the army as a large number of servicemen are in daily contact with the civilian population.

The soldiers were already isolated before being tested on Wednesday, the Defense Minister said, which has significantly reduced the risk of further spread of the infection

All three of them have been hospitalized, they are in a satisfactory condition, and none of them have pneumonia, he added.

A member of the family of one of the servicemen earlier tested positive for virus. Everyone who has been exposed to the four of them has been isolated or told to self-quarantine.

Tonoyan also said that no Covid-19 cases have so far been registered in the Defense Army of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh).

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country reached 290 on Thursday morning. A total of 18 patients have recovered from the disease so far.