Russia has seen a spike in coronavirus cases as officials admit the country is struggling to cope. More than 28-thousand people have been diagnosed with the disease, and that number is rising rapidly. CGTN's Julia Chapman has more.
This may not look like a city under lockdown, but these crowds were caused by anti-coronavirus measures. Anyone using public or private transport must show a digital permit. Its roll-out experienced some teething problems.
Verifications led to big queues at stations, and traffic jams on roads into the city. Analysts say the bottlenecks, which have broadly been resolved, could have set back containment efforts by days.
Moscow's normally bustling metro system has been a big cause for concern. Recovered coronavirus patient Evegeniy Stupin believes it's where he caught the disease.
EVGENIY STUPIN Recovered COVID-19 Patient "Unfortunately they're not giving out masks and there's a big deficit of masks in Russia right now. So, while I was moving around on the metro, there was a crowd every day, and naturally when people are without protection they cough on each other etc. So it's understandable that it will get transmitted."
The outbreak is putting a huge strain on Russia's healthcare system. In Moscow, the mayor says around 1,300 COVID-19 patients are being admitted to hospital daily. Officials say the capital could soon run out of beds. A makeshift treatment centre has been hastily constructed to alleviate the burden.
JULIA CHAPMAN Moscow "While Moscow accounts for more than half of Russia's coronavirus cases, its medical facilities are best equipped to cope. Outside of the capital resources are scarcer. And now all but one of Russia's regions has recorded diagnoses of COVID-19."
Russia has cut numbers of doctors and nurses in recent years. Now, President Putin has promised them a coronavirus pay rise. As he, and other officials, have begun to acknowledge the severity of the crisis.
VLADIMIR PUTIN Russian President "As we can see, the situation is changing almost every day. Unfortunately, it is not changing for the better. The number of infected people is increasing and there are more severe cases as well. As I have already said, the coming weeks will largely be decisive."
As Russia's coronavirus cases accelerate, it's becoming a source of worry for other countries. China closed the border with its northern neighbour over fears of an imported second wave. As the virus travels across the world, Russia is trying to avoid becoming the next hotspot. Julia Chapman, CGTN, Moscow.
