As the coronavirus epidemic continues its rapid spread worldwide, Russian pranksters have been staging coronavirus scares in public places, pretending to have virus-induced seizures and even dressing up in hazmat suits to detain ‘sick’ people.
One man caused panic on the Moscow metro on Feb. 2 when he collapsed on the floor of a metro car and faked a seizure, prompting police to later detain him.
He now faces up to five years in jail.
While there have only been two reported cases of the coronavirus in Russia so far, public anxiety is high, with many people wearing medical masks as a precaution.