MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/. An anti-coronavirus vaccine developed by Russia’s Federal Medical Biological Agency can be expected by the end of the current year, the agency’s chief, Veronika Skvortsova, said on Tuesday.

"We hope to reach a pre-clinical phase by mid-June. So, the first phase of clinical trials can be expected by the yearend anyway. Right now, no. I think the realistic scenario is the end of the year," she said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel.

Tests for anti-coronavirus antibodies

Special testing systems for anti-Covid-19 antibodies will be ready by the end of the current week, Veronika Skvortsova said on Tuesday.

"’Bedside’ tests of various types based on enzyme-linked immunoassay, i.e. for spotting antibodies, will be ready by the end of the week. Such antibodies are typically developed by the end of the first week after the infection. They indicate that a person has come through the infection, has met the antigen," she said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel.

According to Skvortsova, it will be possible to say how many people have come through the infection only after examining the antibodies incidence rate. "Along with that, we have developed chips <…> small reader devices that detect the presence of the virus in a timespan of 15 to 20 minutes," she added.

Russian Covid-19 testing systems

Testing systems for the novel coronavirus that have been developed by Russia’s Federal Medical Biological Agency, are distinguished by the highest susceptibility among all others, Veronika Skvortsova, said on Tuesday.

"Tests are becoming more and more precise. The Federal Medical Biological Agency has registered two testing systems. Their susceptibility is ten squared. It is the highest susceptibility achievable in the world," she said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel.

As of April 7, a total of 7,497 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia. As many as 494 patients have recovered. According to data as of 10:30 Moscow time, fifty-eight patients died. Moscow accounts for the majority of cases (5,181). The Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public informed about the coronavirus situation.