SUKHUM, October 14. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Vladimir Anua requested his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu to create in his country a 500-bed field hospital, needed to treat the growing number of COVID-19 patients.

"We ask you to provide urgent assistance and send to the Republic of Abkhazia a field medical hospital with the capacity of 500 beds, along with medical personnel, special equipment and required medicines," reads the letter, published by Abkhazia’s Apsnypress news agency late on Tuesday.

In the letter, Anua said that epidemiological situation in his country has significantly worsened, and the number of COVID-19 cases spiked as of lately.

COVID-19 situation in the republic started to worsen on July 22. Between April 7 and June 15, Abkhazia had only 38 coronavirus cases and one death. From July 22, the country registered 2,392 cases and 22 deaths. The republic’s only hospital accepting coronavirus patients, the Gudauta Central Regional Hospital, is filled to capacity, and the majority of those infected are undergoing treatment at home.