Coronavirus infections surge in Russia
Though Russia was quick to seal off much of its border with China it was slower to close down European travel.
By IAR Desk
Coronavirus positive cases have surged in Russia, making the country now second to only the United States of America in the number of affected cases worldwide.
Russia’s coronavirus case tally rose above 260,000 on Friday, May 15, reported Reuters. Russia’s death toll rose by 113 overnight to reach 2,418, Russia’s coronavirus task force said, while the case tally jumped by 10,598 to hit 262,843.
According to Reuters Moscow has now begun offering free antibody tests. The city has become the epicenter of Russia’s outbreak. It has now started mass antibody testing of residents to try to work out what portion of the population has already been infected and to identify infected people with no symptoms.
Sergei Sobyanin, Moscow’s mayor, has promised over 200,000 such tests a day by the end of May, and said the programme will help him decide how and when to ease lockdown measures which have forced many businesses to close.
Though Russia was quick to seal off much of its border with China to try to reduce the spread of the virus it was slower to close down European travel.
Citing sources, the Reuters report said that many richer Russians caught the virus during their annual ski holiday at the French ski resort of Courchevel in March. Three of whom fell ill after their own trip there.
