NOVO-OGARYOVO, March 24. /TASS/. About 500 people in Moscow are suspected to be infected with the novel coronavirus, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Tuesday.

"Currently, we have about 500 people with suspected coronavirus. Some of the cases are not confirmed. Up to 80-90% are likely to be confirmed. It means 400-500 more cases. The dynamics are high. This is a serious situation," he said at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

"Quite a lot of people are staying at home after returning from abroad, untested. Those who can afford it, are just staying at home, in self-isolation, and feel all right," he noted.

"But there are much more of those infected. That is why, seeing this dynamics, we have begun to take other measures and expand testing," Sobyanin added.