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Russian testing system for Chinese coronavirus ready, says watchdog

On Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will conduct an emergency meeting on the Chinese pneumonia outbreak, caused by the new coronavirus type

MOSCOW, January 21 /TASS/. The Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being says it has already developed a diagnostic test system to identify the new coronavirus recently discovered in China, the watchdog’s press service said.

"Rospotrebnadzor’s research organizations have already developed a diagnostic test system, which makes it possible to quickly pinpoint the causative agent of the infection, and, by the end of this week, the system will begin arriving at Russian laboratories. The anti-epidemic tactics will be adjusted in accordance with the new information coming from the PRC and the World Health Organization," the message says.

Read also

Russian senior health official brands China’s coronavirus as threat to Russians

Recommendations for tactics regarding anti-epidemic measures, "including harvesting and lab testing of human biological material, and the preparedness of medical organizations to accept those suspected to be infected," were sent to the Russian regions, the watchdog added.

The Chinese authorities informed the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of an unknown disease in the city of Wuhan on December 31, 2019. On January 7, 2020, Chinese specialists identified the new 2019-nCoV coronavirus as the culprit. According to the National Health Committee of China, 291 people came down with the new virus by January 21.

On Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will conduct an emergency meeting on the Chinese pneumonia outbreak, caused by the new coronavirus type.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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