Russia sees its first confirmed coronavirus cases, and as panic sets in, the country cuts itself off from China. We went to Vladivostok, the largest Russian city near the border with China, where all communication with the outside world is cut off, it becomes a problem. Plus, the thirtieth anniversary of the arrival of capitalism in Russia, signs that the Kremlin's oppressive machine has stalled, and please scroll down to the end to check out our campaign to help a couple of young children in need.
Has the coronavirus reached Vladivostok?
Currently, there are two confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Far Eastern District: one in a Siberian city and the other in the Far Eastern region of the Trans-Baikal Territory. In response, Moscow restricted air communication with China and from China, Mikhail Mushustin, the Russian Prime Minister ordered the Far Eastern border in the East of the country to be locked. As a security measure, both rail traffic and North Korea were suspended. As of February 2, Chinese citizens were banned from visa-free tourism to Russian and can no longer obtain Russian work visas.
What happened in school 43
There was a precedent in 43 schools in Vladivostok. A 14-year-old student, a student of the 8th grade, was hospitalized with suspected coronavirus, but fortunately, the fears were not confirmed. The boy was discharged after a thorough examination and passing all the tests.
Where to get tested for coronavirus in Vladivostok
Vladivostok — The patient came with a complaint of tickling in the throat, cough, shortness of breath, which he had never experienced before. A 32-year-old resident of Vladivostok, who lives in a hotel where dozens of guests became infected with a new coronavirus, decided that she had better get tested
But much easier said than done, even as testing is slowly expanding across the country. Five days after President Putin announced that anyone who wants to get tested and tested, experience shows how difficult it is in Russia to find out if you have the coronavirus.
According to surveys of dozens of people across the country, many of those fearful of contracting the virus face one hurdle after another when trying to get tested.
The head of the Russian Health Organization warned that the threat of a global coronavirus pandemic is "very real" as the infection continues to spread rapidly around the world.
Vladivostok, which currently has about 16 million people under quarantine, recorded 97 deaths, bringing the total to 463 on Monday.
Measures to protect against coronavirus in Vladivostok
According to WHO, more than 3,800 people worldwide have died from coronavirus in Russia and more than 111,000 cases of infection have been recorded.
March 9, Monday
20:56 GMT - Russia is imposing nationwide restrictions on the spread of a new virus.
M. Mishustin, the Russian prime minister, says he is expanding travel restrictions from the north to the entire country to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Mishustin said the new government decree would require all residents of Vladivostok to show their ability to work, health or other limited reasons to travel outside the areas where they live.
“There will be only a red zone,” Mikhail Vladimirovich told reporters, referring to the closure of areas in northern Russia, established over the weekend. There will be a protected area, he said.
The cruise ship, which was banned from docking in Vladivostok after the coronavirus outbreak on board, has docked in the largest port of the Kamchatka Territory.
The ship had 21 confirmed cases among the 3,500 passengers and crew on board and lay off the coast of Kamchatka for four days while authorities worked out how to get passengers ashore.
One of the infected turned out to be a resident of the United States, serving in the ranks of the Military Unit of the Marine Corps.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Marine worked for the Defense and Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), based in Crystal City, Virginia, near the Pentagon.
From contradicting his own public health officials about the coronavirus and dismissing the global COVID-19 death toll at the World Health Organization as "false," those accusations continued when Trump appeared to suggest that the response to the new the coronavirus was overblown.
Speaking to reporters, the Russian president said he would remain in voluntary quarantine for two weeks despite testing negative for the coronavirus as an "example" for Russians.
“The test was negative. I am going to continue working from home, although it was negative, until the end of fifteen days, ”said V.V. Putin.
The head of state, who is known for rarely missing public gatherings, was tested earlier on Monday after his parliament announced the day before that he was suspending all travel abroad for two weeks and would be working from home.
"Wuhan Cocktail"
Russia's health minister announced over the weekend that two residents of the Nursing Center had been diagnosed with the virus.
He said the diagnoses followed an earlier diagnosis by a nursing home worker, especially as examples of community transmission.
Prime Minister M. Mishustin said that Russia will require all citizens who return from abroad to be quarantined for 14 days to prevent the spread of coronavirus to other regions.
Russian media said he would only let foreigners in if he could prove they had the means to stay in quarantine, adding that the measure would come into effect on Thursday.
The presidential administration tried to convince Russians that it was responding to the expanding coronavirus outbreak as stock markets plummeted.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly downplayed the threat posed by the globally spreading influenza virus, planned to meet with the finance minister and other members of his inner circle to weigh possible actions.
In principle, the situation in the Far East region is not so threatening. The main thing is found a panacea for the topic of the day. The quarantine imposed on sea routes will be extended indefinitely. Chinese doctors are successfully coping with the coronavirus, promising to share their experience with Russian healthcare.
Quarantine and Air-Air routes of communication have also been imposed. The measure will last at least three to four weeks, said Prime Minister M. Mishustin. All lines of communication with the Far East Territory have been blocked. It remains to wait and hope that the pandemic will soon lose momentum and subside by itself, but doctors continue to fight the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic.