The world’s largest country now has 198,676 detected cases of coronavirus, including 10,817 identified in 24 hours, according to the authorities. The Russia East the fifth most affected country in terms of contamination, behind the United States, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.
With 1,827 deaths, including 104 in the past 24 hours, statistically, the number of deaths remains low compared to all these countries and others in Europe such as France or even Germany.
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Massive test campaign
Russian officials say the increase in the number of cases in the past week can be explained by the multiplication of tests carried out – 5.2 million according to the count this Saturday – and not by an acceleration of the spread. This would also explain the low mortality.
The goal of mass screening is to track down asymptomatic or mild cases of Covid-19 that are not necessarily counted in other countries due to lack of access to the tests.
But some in Russia doubt this interpretation and the veracity of the mortality statistics.
“A delayed epidemic”
Michael Ryan, the executive director for health emergencies at the World Health Organization, said on Friday May 8 that “Russia is probably experiencing a delayed epidemic”.
Moscow, the main focus of the epidemic in Russia with 104,189 cases and 1,010 deaths, extended the confinement of the population until May 31.
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