The red quarantine zone returns to Ukraine. The Ivano-Frankivsk region is under threat of a lockdown. This was announced at a briefing by the Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Lyashko.

He recalled that yesterday 18,479 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease COVID-19 were already recorded.

"This indicates that an outbreak has begun in Ukraine. The epicenter of the outbreak is western Ukraine. The most difficult epidemic situation is in Ivano-Frankivsk region," Lyashko noted.

Negative dynamics is already observed in Chernivtsi, Lviv and Ternopil regions, he added.

"At the end of December and the beginning of January we had 30 thousand cases per week. This week there have been 30 thousand cases for two days," said the Head of the Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, it became known that schools in Chernivtsi region from January 21 to switch to distance learning, online classes are introduced for two weeks, the press service of the regional state administration.

"Such a decision during a meeting today, January 20, the regional commission on technogenic and environmental safety and emergency situations. Such measures are forced because of the sharp increase in the incidence of seasonal viral diseases and COVID-19", - said in a message on Facebook.