A "red" level of epidemic danger is introduced in Odesa region from midnight on March 23 due to the high mortality rate of residents, including medical workers, as well as a large increase in the incidence of coronavirus (COVID-19) disease among all age categories of citizens, including children, the press service of Odesa Regional State Administration said.

"From 00:00 on March 23, on the territory of Odesa region [...] a 'red' level of epidemic danger of the spread of COVID-19 will be introduced," the message said.

It is noted that during this period, restrictions applied to:

- reception of visitors in catering establishments;

- operation of shopping and entertainment centers and other entertainment establishments;

- operation of non-food stores and non-food markets;

- work of cultural institutions;

- holding mass events;

- sports matches with spectators;

- visiting educational institutions except for kindergartens, special educational institutions and students of 1-4 grades of general secondary education institutions.

At the same time, it is allowed to carry out regular and irregular transportation of passengers on intraregional bus routes within Odesa region (but at the same time, the number of passengers in a vehicle must correspond to the number of seats), as well as to carry out railway transportation of passengers within the region with strict observance of the requirements (washing hands, wearing protective masks and using disinfectants) on the organization of anti-epidemic measures during railway transportation amid the quarantine period.

In addition, law enforcement officers were allowed to take harsh measures against violators for non-compliance with the norms and requirements of restrictive measures.

"I have instructed law enforcement agencies to take harsh measures to identify violations of non-compliance with the norms and requirements of restrictive measures in the 'red' level of epidemic danger," the press service said, citing Head of Odesa Regional State Administration Serhiy Hrynevetsky.

He noted that over the past day, 745 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 were detected, of which 26 are children and 13 medical workers.

"If last week we registered 500 cases every day, now there are about 1,000," the head of the Regional State Administration said.

Hrynevetsky added that "the reasons that led to such a critical situation are the result of indifference and irresponsibility of the population, non-compliance with the conditions of self-isolation by patients with COVID-19, untimely visits of patients for medical assistance, self-medication and ignoring basic methods of personal protection in public places, daily mass gathering of people in nightclubs, cafes and restaurants, and complete disregard for wearing masks on public transport.