MOSCOW, February 10. /TASS/. Cargo traffic between Russia and China is declining due to the coronavirus, but so far there are no systemic risks, Deputy Prime Minister, Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev told reporters on Monday.
"We have closed border crossings, therefore, there is a decline [in cargo traffic], of course. So far we do not see any systemic risks," he said.
Trutnev also noted that the government is taking all necessary measures to combat coronavirus. "As for measures, the work is underway, necessary measures are being taken in the Far East," he said.
Coronavirus outbreak
On January 30, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin ordered to shut down border crossings in the country’s Far East to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
On December 31, 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. On January 7, Chinese experts identified the 2019-nCoV coronavirus as the cause of the disease. The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency.
According to recent data, over 40,200 cases of patients infected with the virus and 909 deaths have been confirmed in China. Over 3,300 patients have recovered from the virus. Coronavirus cases have also been reported in 24 other countries, including Russia.