Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Belarus (2020)

This article documents the timeline of transmission of COVID-19 during the pandemic in Belarus in 2020.

Timeline February–March 2020 February–March 2020On 28 February, Belarus confirmed its first case. A student from Iran tested positive on 27 February and was admitted to a hospital in Minsk. The individual arrived in Belarus via a flight from Baku, Azerbaijan, on 22 February.

As of 3 March, there were 4 confirmed cases in Belarus.

On 4 March, the Ministry of Health of Belarus confirmed 6 new cases of the disease: 4 cases in Minsk, 2 cases in Vitebsk.

On 13 March, 27 cases were confirmed in Grodno, Gomel, Minsk, Vitebsk, and Minsk Region, including 5 students from the Faculty of International Relations of Belarusian State University. Three patients were discharged from hospitals.

On 16 March, the Ministry of Health stated that the number of confirmed cases reached 36. No new laboratory confirmed cases were reported on 17 March.

As of 18 March, a total of 51 confirmed cases had been registered, including 5 recoveries and 37 cases of asymptomatic infection course.

As of 20 March, 69 cases had been registered, including 15 recoveries and 42 cases of asymptomatic infection course.

As of 21 March, a total of 76 confirmed were reported.

As of 23 March, 81 confirmed cases were reported, including 22 recoveries. According to the official data, more than 21,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus since 23 January.

As of 25 March, a total of 86 confirmed cases were reported, including 29 recoveries.

As of 27 March, a total of 94 confirmed cases were reported, including 32 recoveries.

As of 30 March, a total of 152 confirmed cases were reported, including 47 recoveries. More than 30,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted to date since 23 January.

On 31 March, an officially unconfirmed death of a test-positive 75 years old patient in Vitebsk was reported by the media. Reportedly, the patient suffered from a chronic pulmonary disease. Later that day, the first case of death due to COVID-19 was confirmed by the Ministry of Health of Belarus.

April 2020 April 2020On 1 April, the second death of an elderly COVID-19 patient with chronic diseases was reported by the Ministry of Health. According to the report, as of 1 April 2020, there were 163 COVID-19 cases registered in Belarus, including 2 deaths and at least 47 recoveries. However, the ambiguity of the latest government reports has led to unofficial counting attempts, based on the official data, according to which, the actual number of COVID-19 cases in Belarus could be as high as 217. On that same day, the first COVID-19 case in Brest Region was reported by the officials.

On 2 April, the Ministry of Health of Belarus reported a total of 304 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 254 active cases, 46 recoveries and 4 deaths. According to the report, 11 patents required assisted ventilation and 9,299 people remained under medical observation as first- and second-level contacts.

On 3 April, during a briefing of Ministry of Health officials for the press, a total of 351 confirmed cases were reported, including 190 in Minsk, 89 in Vitebsk Region, 50 in Minsk Region, 13 in Gomel Region, 6 in Grodno Region, 2 in Mogilev Region and 1 in Brest Region. According to the officials, the majority of the COVID-19 patients were in 25- to 64-years-old range.

On 4 April, a total of 440 confirmed cases were reported, including 41 recoveries and 5 deaths. According to the media, the declining number of recoveries was due to changes in the counting methodology used by the officials: prior to 30 March, both discharged and "preparing to be discharged" patients had been reported as recovered; after 30 March, only the discharged patients were counted as recovered.

On 5 April, a total of 562 confirmed cases were reported, including 52 recoveries and 8 deaths.

On 6 April, a total of 700 confirmed cases were reported, including 53 recoveries and 13 deaths. As of 6 April, more than 40,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus.

On 7 April, a total of 861 confirmed cases were reported, including 54 recoveries and 13 deaths. Also, an update on epidemiological situation in the regions was issued by the Ministry of Health: as of 7 April, there were 497 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Minsk, 91 in Minsk Region, 143 in Vitebsk Region, 32 in Gomel Region, 18 in Mogilev Region, 10 in Grodno Region and 3 in Brest Region. Vitebsk Region and Minsk were leading the deaths statistics with 5 death cases registered in each, as well as the recoveries statistics with 27 and 25 recoveries, respectively. 31 COVID-19 patients required assisted ventilation as of date.

On 8 April, a total of 1,066 confirmed cases were reported, including 77 recoveries and 13 deaths. 33 COVID-19 patients required assisted ventilation to date. An update on regional statistics was issued, as well: 601 confirmed cases, 45 recoveries and 5 deaths in Minsk, 200/30/5 in Vitebsk Region, 104/1/3 in Minsk Region, 32/0/1 in Gomel Region, 25/0/0 in Mogilev Region, 11/0/0 in Grodno Region, 3/0/0 in Brest Region. More than 46,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus since 23 January.

On 9 April, a total of 1,486 confirmed cases were reported, including 139 recoveries and 16 deaths. 1,331 patients remained in hospitals to date (55 required assisted ventilation); more than 49,000 COVID-19 test had been conducted in Belarus since 23 January. Regional statistics was updated (confirmed cases/recoveries/deaths): 699/102/6 in Minsk, 364/35/7 in Vitebsk Region, 153/1/3 in Minsk Region, 35/1/0 in Gomel Region, 35/0/0 in Mogilev Region, 28/0/0 in Grodno Region, 17/0/0 in Brest Region.

On 10 April, a total of 1,981 confirmed cases were reported, including 169 recoveries and 19 deaths. 1,793 patients remained in hospitals to date with 72 requiring assisted ventilation. Death cases of medical workers had also been registered to date, however, the precise number of such, as well as the number of infected medical workers, were not given.

On 11 April, a total of 2,226 confirmed cases were reported, including 172 recoveries and 23 deaths. 2,031 patients remained in hospitals to date with 52 requiring assisted ventilation. According to the official data, as of 11 April, 301 medical workers contracted the disease.

On 12 April, a total of 2,578 confirmed cases were reported, including 203 recoveries and 26 deaths; 50 patients required assisted ventilation. More than 64,000 COVID-19 test had been conducted to date.

On 13 April, a total of 2,919 confirmed cases were reported, including 203 recoveries and 29 deaths; 55 patients required assisted ventilation. More than 68,000 COVID-19 test had been conducted to date.

On 14 April, a total of 3,281 confirmed cases were reported, including 33 deaths; the number of recoveries was not given. As of date, 2,444 COVID-19 patients remained in hospitals, with 57 requiring assisted ventilation. More than 71,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus. According to the official update on regional statistics, as of 14 April, 1,691 COVID-19 cases had been registered in Minsk, 848 in Vitebsk Region, 359 in Minsk Region, 151 in Mogilev Region, 106 in Gomel Region, 73 in Brest Region and 53 in Grodno Region.

On 15 April, a total of 3,728 confirmed cases were reported, including 36 deaths; the number of recoveries was not given. 68 patients required assisted ventilation. More than 76,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 16 April, a total of 4,204 confirmed cases were reported, including 40 deaths; the number of recoveries was not given. 65 patients required assisted ventilation. More than 81,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 17 April, a total of 4,779 confirmed cases were reported, including 342 recoveries and 42 deaths. More than 86,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date. According to the official update on regional statistics, as of 17 April, 2,308 COVID-19 cases had been registered in Minsk, 1,282 in Vitebsk Region, 588 in Minsk Region, 217 in Mogilev Region, 193 in Gomel Region, 112 in Brest Region and 79 in Grodno Region.

On 18 April, the Ministry of Health of Belarus did not report the total number of confirmed cases; 3,282 COVID-19 patients remained in hospitals and 45 died since the beginning of the pandemic. According to the media, the new official statistics on COVID-19 patients was likely to not count the ambulatory cases. More than 92,000 COVID-19 test had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 19 April, a total of 3,538 currently hospitalized patients (i.e. excluding the ambulatory cases) were reported by the Ministry of Health; 47 patients died since the beginning of the pandemic and 494 recovered. The total number of confirmed cases was not given. More than 98,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 20 April, a total of 6,264 confirmed cases were reported, including 514 recoveries and 51 deaths. The confirmed cases gain for 18 and 19 April was given: 518 and 510 cases, respectively. Update on the regional statistics was issued: 3,023 COVID-19 cases had been registered in Minsk, 1,504 in Vitebsk Region, 789 in Minsk Region, 322 in Gomel Region, 265 in Mogilev Region, 185 in Brest Region and 176 in Grodno Region. More than 102,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 21 April, a total of 6,723 confirmed cases were reported, including 577 recoveries and 55 deaths. More than 108,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 22 April, a total of 7,281 confirmed cases were reported, including 769 recoveries and 58 deaths. More than 114,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 23 April, a total of 8,022 confirmed cases were reported, including 938 recoveries and 60 deaths. More than 122,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 24 April, a total of 8,773 confirmed cases were reported, including 1120 recoveries and 63 deaths; 114 patients required assisted ventilation. More than 130,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date. According to the update on regional statistics, 4,090 COVID-19 cases have been registered in Minsk, 1,935 in Vitebsk Region, 1,206 in Minsk Region, 460 in Gomel Region, 396 in Mogilev Region, 347 in Grodno Region and 339 in Brest Region.

On 25 April, a total of 9,590 confirmed cases were reported, including 1,573 recoveries and 67 deaths. More than 139,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 26 April, a total of 10,463 confirmed cases were reported, including 1,695 recoveries and 72 deaths. More than 147,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 27 April, a total of 11,289 confirmed cases were reported, including 1,740 recoveries and 75 deaths. More than 153,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 28 April, a total of 12,208 confirmed cases were reported, including 1,993 recoveries and 79 deaths. More than 161,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 29 April, a total of 13,181 confirmed cases were reported, including 2,072 recoveries and 85 deaths. More than 168,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 30 April, a total of 14,027 confirmed cases were reported, including 2,386 recoveries and 89 deaths. More than 176,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

May 2020 May 2020On 1 May, a total of 14,917 confirmed cases were reported, including 2,918 recoveries and 93 deaths. More than 186,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 2 May, a total of 15,828 confirmed cases were reported, including 3,117 recoveries and 97 deaths. More than 195,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.

On 3 May, a total of 16,705 confirmed cases were reported, including 3,196 recoveries and 99 deaths. More than 204,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Belarus to date.