Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who had been isolated.
As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 360 people in China continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk, including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border Friday.
In a bid to contain the outbreak, Russia has also banned Chinese tour groups from coming to Russia and stopped issuing e-visas to Chinese citizens. Demand for face masks in Russia has risen thirteenfold over the past week.
Below are the latest updates on Russia’s response to the coronavirus:
— Russia will from Tuesday temporarily restrict the entry of foreigners arriving from China, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said. She said the restrictions would not, however, apply to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, the capital’s main international airport.
— Russia may deport foreign citizens found to be infected with coronavirus, Interfax cited Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin as saying Monday.
— Mishustin also proposed postponing the Russian Investment Forum 2020 in the Black Sea city of Sochi, scheduled for Feb. 12-14.
— Moscow suspended visa-free travel for tourists to and from China and temporarily stopped accepting and issuing documents for work visas to Chinese nationals.
— State-run Russian Railways said it would halt passenger trains to China, including the Beijing-Moscow route, until further notice.
— Russia’s aerospace defense forces, part of the armed forces, will start evacuating Russian citizens from Wuhan and Hubei on Monday. There are more than 600 Russians there, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova has said.
— Russia’s second-largest food retailer Magnit said it is suspending fruit and vegetable imports from China due to the spread of the coronavirus and logistical complications.
— Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Friday that OPEC+ countries may react if there are significant consequences for the oil market due to the outbreak. He said that the oil-producing countries have discussed bringing forward the March OPEC+ meeting, adding that they need several more days to monitor the situation.
— As of Friday, Jan. 31, Russia’s consumer protection watchdog said a total of 236 people have been examined for the suspected virus. Nearly 100 of them have been diagnosed with unrelated respiratory diseases, influenza or the seasonal coronavirus.
— In addition to observing personal hygiene, the consumer protection watchdog advised against loose hair, as well as kissing and hugging in public.
— Apple and Chinese phone manufacturers stopped deliveries into Russia for two weeks, the Kommersant business daily reported.
— Russian universities and employers were advised to extend Chinese New Year-related time off for their Chinese students and workers, either until further notice or March.
— Russian state lender VTB said it has temporarily suspended all business trips by its employees to China and several other Asian countries.
— Gazprom said the virus is not affecting Russian gas supplies to China via the newly built “Power of Siberia” pipeline.
— Russia’s tourism association expects China’s ban on overseas tours to lead to an 80% drop-off in numbers in northern Russia’s Murmansk region, The Barents Observer reported. The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) expects Russian tour agencies to lose up to $100 million by the end of March due to the ban.
— Russia’s first McDonald’s restaurant scrapped a plan to sell Big Mac burgers for 3 rubles ($0.04) to mark its 30th anniversary on Jan. 31. Authorities in Moscow have issued a citywide warning against mass public events due to fears of the coronavirus.
Reuters contributed reporting to this article.
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