MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. The Moscow police will refrain from detaining citizens for the breach of the self-isolation regime imposed to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, a source in the Russian capital’s law-enforcement agencies told TASS on Wednesday.
"If people stay on streets during the self-isolation, the police will carry out explanatory work that they need to return home and explain the procedure of the self-isolation introduced in Moscow for all citizens," the source said.
If a person refuses to comply with the police’s demands, this person may be held administratively liable, the source added.
The law-enforcement agencies may soon get new clarifications, the source said.
At the same time, the breach of the quarantine regime by citizens who have returned home from abroad, those who have contacted with the infected persons or those who are undergoing medical treatment at home upon the doctor’s prescription may entail punishment, including criminal liability, the source said.
"All of them in cases of breaches will be held liable," the source said.
Meanwhile, the press office of the Interior Ministry’s Main Department for Moscow could not provide explanations to TASS on this issue.
The self-isolation regime is in effect for all residents of Moscow and the Moscow Region to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection. Citizens are allowed to leave their homes only if they seek urgent medical assistance or face another direct threat to their life and health. They are also allowed to leave their homes to get to their place of work, if they are required to do so, or to make purchases in a nearby shop or pharmacy and also to walk a dog or dispose of waste.
In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. To date, more than 850,000 people have been infected worldwide and over 42,000 deaths have been reported.
So far, a total of 2,777 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 190 patients having recovered from the illness. The country’s latest data indicates 24 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public informed about the coronavirus situation.