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Belarus’ president doubts that lockdown measures could be efficient against Covid

Alexander Lukashenko said that he has taken a decision "to follow our own way"

MINSK, April 26. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Sunday he doesn’t think the lockdown measures imposed in Russia and in other countries in a bid to stop the coronavirus pandemic could be of any help.

"They tried to impose self-isolation in Russia. Have they succeeded? No. And we are much like the Russians. It will be impossible to isolate us," he told the Belarus 1 television channel.

People are locked "in frowzy apartments, exhausted, angry, disappointed, frightened and scared," he noted. "Once doors are open, people rush outside to be attacked by the virus, which is still there. A second wave is unavoidable. With the first wave still in place, the second one is going to hit them."

"That is why I have taken a decision to follow our own way," he added.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Belarus increased by 873 over the past day to reach 10,463. Seventy-two patients have died.

Belarus imposed no lockdown measures over the coronavirus pandemic, with school classes being resumed and preparations for the Victory Day parade continuing. Belarus’ Health Minister Vladimir Karanik anticipates the peak of the infection in late April or early May.