Russia’s officially reported numbers — which are still smaller than those in European countries — have sparked suspicion. Experts warn that Russia’s testing capacity is hampered by bureaucracy, while officials warn that the real number of cases is likely much higher.
Most of Russia’s cases are in Moscow. Last week, Moscow changed the way it counts its coronavirus cases, with patients considered coronavirus-positive upon a single positive test rather than having samples sent to a lab Novosibirsk for further verification. Starting Monday, all of Moscow’s 12 million residents have been ordered to stay in their homes with few exceptions.
Worldwide, the virus has infected over 850,000 people and killed more than 42,000.