Photo: Sciense
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In Moscow and St. Petersburg, the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations began to grow sharply, the jump in diseases is associated with a new strain of coronavirus that has supplanted others.
Russia is suffering severely from the Indian strain of the coronavirus. In Moscow alone, the admission of critically ill patients to covid hospitals increased by 70%. According to official data, the rapid growth of detected infections began on June 8. On June 18, Moscow registered the absolute maximum of new cases of coronavirus – 9,056 people fell ill per day. As follows from the data of the operational headquarters, before that, the largest number of new cases of coronavirus was on December 24 last year – 8,203. An increase in the incidence was also noted in St. Petersburg.
The total increase in the number of cases in the country amounted to 17,262 people, 10,954 people recovered. During the day in Russia, the largest number of deaths of patients with coronavirus was confirmed since March 18 – 453 people.
Delta strain
This situation is associated with the Indian strain, which the WHO, however, now classifies not on a geographical basis, but as a delta strain. Analysis of the genome of the types of coronavirus circulating in Russia shows that since April the delta has been rapidly gaining ground, displacing other variants, including the British (alpha) strain that has begun to spread.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that 89.3% of Muscovites who fell ill with COVID-19 were diagnosed with the delta coronavirus strain.
Delta is clearer than the contagious strains of the coronavirus. British studies show the new strain is at least 40% more infectious than alpha. As Konstantin Lebedinsky, president of the Russian Federation of Anesthesiologists and Resuscitators, explains, in practice, this means a greater number of severe cases requiring emergency assistance and resuscitation.
“So far, we do not see a radical change in the course of this disease. But the number of seriously ill patients is growing due to the fact that the total number of cases is growing. The more cases, the more” severe “ones. This pattern is obvious.” In St. Petersburg, where Lebedinsky works, the load on the intensive care units is already very noticeable.
And what about vaccination?
At the same time, among the sick, there are also vaccinated. Reports of confirmed cases of covid after fully completed vaccinations began to arrive in April, when the delta variant began to supplant other strains. However, most of the diseases described are not severe and did not require hospitalization.
“We see that vaccinated people always get sick more easily than unvaccinated ones and get better faster,” concludes molecular biologist Alena Makarova.
The authorities suggest Russians to avoid crowded places and get vaccinated, vaccinated, vaccinated.
What will they do
Quarantine has already been tightened in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The Moscow Department of Health said that, for the safety of patients, it temporarily banned the provision of routine medical care, for example, operations, to people who had not been vaccinated against coronavirus before hospitalization.
The new rules do not affect patients with oncological and hematological diseases, as well as patients with contraindications for vaccination.
In addition, Covid-19-free food outlets will be organized in Moscow from June 19. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced this in his blog. The entrance to the restaurants will be by the vaccination QR-code obtained from the State Services. This experiment will begin in one or two dozen restaurants – it is not yet known which ones. He noted that children will be able to go to restaurants if they are with vaccinated parents.
From June 18, mass events in the capital will be limited to 1000 people. Theaters and cinemas will continue to operate.
The mayor extended the current restrictions until June 29. Playrooms, playgrounds and gazebos in parks, zoos and food courts will remain closed for now. An exception is made for park benches. The ban on the work of bars, clubs and karaoke continues from 11 pm to 6 am – however, the mayor’s decree says that night work is possible if all visitors (except those under 18) have a certificate of receipt of the second component of the vaccine.
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