(MENAFN) Ukraine has reintroduced face-mask requirements in hospitals across two regions as Covid-19 cases rise. Andrey Karaush, head of the Rovno regional council, announced on Telegram that masks are now mandatory at a major local hospital, with other medical facilities in the western region considering similar measures in the coming days.

“Since early August, nearly 500 cases have been officially confirmed in the region,” Karaush reported. Meanwhile, several hospitals in Odessa Region have also implemented mask rules, with visitor access reportedly restricted.

In the capital, Kiev, over the past week, authorities recorded 1,121 confirmed Covid-19 cases. Ukraine’s Health Ministry recently identified the new Omicron strains ‘Nimbus’ and ‘Stratus,’ which have contributed to rising infections globally, including in the US and UK.

During the peak of the pandemic in 2020-2021, countries worldwide implemented strict mask mandates and large-scale vaccination campaigns. Most of these measures have since been eased as the virus has generally become less severe.

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