“14-day quarantine is a reasonable measure”: Rospotrebnadzor told about the incubation period of COVID-19

According to recent studies, the average incubation period for COVID-19 disease caused by the new coronavirus is just over five days. This was reported in the press service of Rospotrebnadzor with reference to data published by the American Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

This indicator was obtained as a result of analysis of publicly available data on infections caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which is the causative agent of the respiratory disease COVID-19.

“This median time period from the moment of infection to the onset of symptoms suggests that the 14-day quarantine period used for individuals suspected to be infected with coronavirus is a reasonable precaution,” the RPN noted.

The analysis also suggests that approximately 97.5% of people who exhibit symptoms of coronavirus infection, this occurs within 11.5 days after infection. According to researchers, for every 10 thousand people, only 101 will have symptoms of the disease after undergoing 14-day quarantine.

The department indicated that quarantine could ultimately stop the spread of infection, despite isolated cases where the incubation period exceeds two weeks.

“A new 5.1-day estimate of the median incubation period of SARS-CoV-2 is similar to estimates from the earliest studies of the new virus, which were based on fewer infections. This incubation period for SARS-CoV-2 is in the same range as SARS-CoV (another human-infecting coronavirus that caused a major outbreak in Hong Kong and southern China in 2002-2004). For the coronavirus MERS-CoV, which caused several hundred infections in the Middle East, with a relatively high mortality rate, the estimated average incubation period is five to seven days, ”the Rospotrebnadzor added.

According to recent data, in Russia more than 300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were recorded. Over the past day, 53 new cases were detected in 18 regions of the country.

The largest number of new cases - 17 were found in the Moscow region. Six more were identified in Moscow, five in Tatarstan, four in the Nizhny Novgorod region. In connection with the spread of infection, more than 36 thousand people are under the supervision of physicians in Russia.

According to Rospotrebnadzor, around the world there are about 306 thousand confirmed cases of infection with COVID-19, 225 thousand of which are outside of China. In China, approximately 81 thousand cases of the disease were recorded (more than 72 thousand people have already recovered).

During the day, the increase in cases in China amounted to 82 cases, in the rest of the world - 31.7 thousand (+ 16.4%).

“Metro will work”

In the Russian capital, where 137 cases of the disease have been identified, special measures are being taken to spread the virus. In particular, from March 21 to April 12, public schools were closed, leisure activities involving more than 50 people were prohibited.

It also introduced quarantine compliance requirements for citizens who returned from trips to a number of states, such as China, Iran, the USA, South Korea, the UK, as well as all EU countries and other European countries that are not part of the EU.

At the same time, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that the city’s authorities are not going to close the city metro: “The metro is technologically designed so that trains must constantly run and pump air so that all networks are in good condition.”

He explained that if the Moscow metro was stopped, then it would take about six months to restore its work. “Therefore, in any situation, the metro will work,” RIA Novosti quotes Sobyanin.

In addition, the mayor paid attention to the issue of food supplies to the capital.

“There is enough food in the warehouses, so there are no problems. There is increased demand, people stock up for future use. Someone leaves for the country, someone according to the decisions is in home quarantine. Therefore, such people made a reserve, ”the mayor said, noting that throughout the country, increased demand for a number of goods began to decline.

• Reuters
• © Gleb Garanich

Valuation from Europe

The measures taken by the Russian side to counteract the coronavirus infection COVID-19 were evaluated abroad. So, the German journalist Andre Ballin in an article for the Austrian publication Der Standard said that thanks to the actions of the authorities, the situation with the virus in the Russian Federation remains calm.

In his article, Ballin noted that Russian security agencies acted more decisively than their counterparts from European countries. In particular, he mentioned the closure of land borders with China at the end of January, the subsequent suspension of air traffic in February, as well as restrictions on entry for residents of China and other countries where COVID-19 became widespread.

The journalist also notes that at the very beginning of the spread of the Russian virus, it was lucky, since only two infected people were found on the territory of the country, whose disease was detected at an early stage. Recall that we are talking about two citizens of the PRC who successfully underwent treatment in the Trans-Baikal Territory and Tyumen.

Ballin concluded that measures taken by the Russian authorities to limit the spread of the virus provided Russia with an advantage that could be used to slow down the COVID-19 pandemic.