Russia does not have a “clear picture” of the scale of the epidemic in the country

If the number of cases of coronavirus remains low compared to other European countries,
Russia said Tuesday it did not have a “clear picture” of the extent of the contamination in the country.

“The problem is that the volume of tests is very low, and no one has a clear picture” of the reality in Russia as in the world, said Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who heads the task force to fight against the epidemic and participated in a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

At least 500 cases in Russia

On several occasions over the past week, the Head of State has reported a situation under control, pointing to the situation in France and in Italy. The mayor, close to Vladimir Putin, noted that in the Russian capital, the number of 290 cases registered at the moment is underestimated. There are probably between 400 to 500, he added. In Russia, 495 cases of Covid-19 have been officially counted, according to figures released on Tuesday. “It is a high dynamic, it is a serious situation which is developing,” Sergei Sobyanin told the Russian president.

The manager, who set up at Moscow the strictest measures in Russia such as the quarantine of travelers, the limitation of public gatherings or the closing of schools and places of entertainment, judged that the Russian regions should follow this example. He notably asked that people over 65 be confined to their homes, as will be the case in Moscow from Thursday. Sergei Sobianin also noted the importance of identifying travelers who have returned from abroad in recent weeks. He took the example of the Primorye region in the Far East, where 6,000 people returned from “infected areas”. “It’s a problem, a big problem. And sooner or later the problem will go viral, ”he said.

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