Coronavirus spreads in Nagorno-Karabakh amid heavy fighting As fighting rages in the South Caucasus region of Nagorno-Karabakh, people infected with the coronavirus pack into cold basements alongside the healthy to shelter from artillery fireSTEPANAKERT, Nagorno-Karabakh -- People who are sick with the coronavirus pack into chilly basements alongside the healthy to hide from artillery fire. These are the grim realities of the pandemic in Nagorno-Karabakh, a separatist region in the South Caucasus mountains beset by weeks of heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces. Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia for more than a quarter-century. It is facing the largest escalation of fighting since a war there ended in 1994, with hundreds killed since Sept. 27. “We didn't have time to track down those infected while Stepanakert came under heavy shelling, and it allowed contagion to spread,” he said.

Source: ABC News October 21, 2020 11:28 UTC