Moscow being shut down over the global COVID-19 pandemic is not on the agenda, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.
"Not being discussed right now", the official said when asked if the issue of the capital's shutdown was being reviewed by the government.
So far, Russia has confirmed 199 cases of COVID-19, with one fatality. Addressing the disease, the authorities cancelled mass events and imposed travel bans, also organising mass medical testing.
© REUTERS / STRINGERRussian officials and medical staff wearing protective gear check passengers as a preventive measure against the coronavirus (COVID-19) at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport
Russian officials and medical staff wearing protective gear check passengers as a preventive measure against the coronavirus (COVID-19) at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport
© REUTERS / STRINGER
In the meantime, there are almost 250,000 infected in over 120 countries, and at least 5,000 people have died because of the coronavirus worldwide. Numerous countries have introduced travel bans and quarantine measures to stop the disease from spreading. Besides China, where the coronavirus was initially reported back in December, the worst-hit countries are Italy, Spain, Iran, Germany, and the US.