With nearly 10,000 additional cases for the fourth consecutive day, Russia became the fifth country in Europe most affected by the new coronavirus on Wednesday.
In the past 24 hours, 10,559 new cases have been recorded, reaching 165,929, according to official figures. Russia doubles Germany to become the 5th most affected country in Europe and the 6th in the world in number of contaminations.
More cases but fewer deaths
But with 1,537 deaths, the death rate remains low compared to Italy, Spain, France, Great Britain, the United States and even Germany. Authorities say this is due to a series of early measures to counter the epidemic: border closings, more than four million drug tests done, hospitals prepared for the pandemic, especially in Moscow, the main foyer. Some critical voices nevertheless doubt the reality of these figures.
The surge in the number of new cases, in particular in Moscow, which accounts for more than half of the infections in Russia, also places the authorities in a difficult situation, the country still having not reached its epidemic peak. The economy has suffered from containment measures imposed since the end of March. SMEs and millions of Russians have thus lost income despite the authorities' promise to support businesses and employees.
Containment meeting this Wednesday
In this context, President Vladimir Putin saw his popularity fall by 4 points between March and April and by 10 points since January, to stand at 59%, according to the monthly barometer of the Levada institute. Vladimir Putin is to hold a videoconference on Wednesday to discuss a possible gradual lifting of restrictions in some Russian regions from May 12 and an extension or tightening in others. Head of government Mikhaïl Michoustine, who tested positive for coronavirus last week, will not be present.
If the Russian president assured to understand "the physical and psychological fatigue" of the Russians due to the confinement, he stressed that the epidemiological situation would take precedence in the decision to lighten the measures in force. If people do not respect confinement, especially due to good weather, "we may have to tighten" the restrictions, warned Sunday the head of the Russian Health Agency (Rospotrebnadzor), Anna Popova, in an interview with the Russian television.
Temporary hospitals under construction
In Moscow, epicenter of the disease with 85,973 reported cases and 866 deaths, surgical masks and disposable gloves have been sold since Tuesday in metro stations. Municipal authorities are planning to make the mask mandatory in public transport, while up to three million people have a pass allowing them to move around the megalopolis and go to work.
Also in the Russian capital, where one million screening tests have been carried out to date, up to 27,000 beds for patients with Covid-19 disease are expected to be available in May. To this end, temporary hospitals are being built, one of them in the famous exhibition center at VDNKh, in the North of Moscow. In the region surrounding the capital, the wearing of masks on public transport, shops and taxis will become compulsory on May 12, announced the regional governor.
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