MOSCOW, March 14. /TASS/. There has been a spike in coronavirus cases in Russia, from 45 to 59 over the past 24 hours, but all the 14 Russians infected with the novel coronavirus travelled to the European Union in the past two weeks, the coronavirus task force told reporters on Saturday.

"In the past 24 hours, Russia has confirmed 14 coronavirus cases among the citizens of the Russian Federation. Among them are nine in Moscow, one in the Moscow Region, one in St. Petersburg, two in the Kemerovo Region and one in the Kaliningrad Region," the task force said adding that all those infected people had travelled to the worst affected countries in the past two weeks.

Apart from that, the people who the infected patients had contacted with in Russia were identified.

"Work is ongoing to place people having been in contact under medical observation. Laboratory tests are underway," the task force said.

According to the coronavirus task force, Russia has 59 confirmed coronavirus cases so far. Among them are 56 Russians, two Chinese and one Italian. Two more Chinese nationals, one Russian man and the Russian nationals evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the disease.

Nine new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Moscow, all the infected people travelled to countries worst affected by the pandemic, Moscow’s coronavirus emergency center told reporters on Saturday.

"Moscow has nine more confirmed cases of the coronavirus infection. There are 33 cases in the capital in total," the center said.

Among the nine people recently infected with the coronavirus in Moscow are three underage children.

"There are three minors among the patients. Those students' classes have been closed since March 10," the center said.

The Moscow authorities have identified all those who were in contact with nine people recently infected with the coronavirus in Moscow and hospitalized ten of their family members.

"Up to now, all the people who had been in close contact with the patients have been identified. Six relatives are being treated at Kommunarka hospital, another four at the infectious disease hospital. Two more are in home quarantine," the center said.