As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 4,000 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the pandemic, including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China, ordering people returning from high-risk areas to self-quarantine and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country.
There have been 34 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far. Some doctors have questioned whether those figures are accurate however given what they say is the patchy nature of testing.
Russia’s border will temporarily be closed to Italian citizens and foreigners traveling from Italy starting today as Italy continues to grapple with the worst coronavirus outbreak in Europe.
The Moscow region’s governor has announced a “high alert” status for the region due to the coronavirus, banning all large events over 5,000 people and encouraging companies to allow their employees to telecommute. The remote-working measures do not apply to the city of Moscow, home to 12 million people.
The Kremlin told journalists who cover President Vladimir Putin to stay away from official events if they felt unwell as a precautionary measure to protect Kremlin staff from the coronavirus.
Polish President Andrzej Duda will not travel to Russia next month due to the coronavirus, missing ceremonies marking the 10-year anniversary of a plane crash which killed Poland’s president, central bank chief and military commanders.
