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Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus infection spread in Russia may start declining in June - expert

Chief external epidemiologist of the Russian Ministry of Healthcare noted that the epidemic situation across regions is not consistent

© Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

MOSCOW, May 3. /TASS/. The coronavirus infection cases in Russia may start going down in June because the intensity of its epidemic processes is slowing down at present, chief external epidemiologist of the Russian Ministry of Healthcare said in an interview with the Parlamentskaya Gazeta newspaper, published on Saturday.

"Indeed, a certain deceleration in the intensity of infection epidemic process development has been registered recently. Over the last month, new infection cases growth rate dropped from 27% (on April 2) to 6.9% (May 1), that is, almost fourfold. Stabilization of the sick rate is probably taking place with the subsequent initiation of its decline in June," the expert said.

The epidemic situation across regions is not consistent, Briko said. "It can be said that it has reached the third - the fourth phase in Moscow [according to WHO criteria - TASS], that is, the large-scale spread without tracing of epidemiological connection of cases," he noted.

It can be concluded, relying on the historical experience of epidemics’ spread, that the miosis stage of the epidemic is usually lengthier in time than the disease growth state, Briko noted. "It can only be said that the epidemic process cycle has ended when the specific ratio of new diseases is less than 1%," he added.

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