YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, May 15. /TASS/. Officials of the Southern Kuril Islands have introduced a state of emergency on the territory of the Shikotan Island (Southern Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Region) after the first case of the novel coronavirus was documented on its territory, local officials informed TASS on Friday.

The Sakhalin Region has documented 21 people infected, with an additional 25 people recovered and discharged from hospitals. There have been no cases of infection on the Kuril Islands before today.

"A state of emergency has been introduced in the region after one case of the coronavirus infection was detected," the officials said.

In late December 2019, Chinese officials 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.

As of May 14, a total of 252,245 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 53,530 patients having recovered from the virus. Russia’s latest data indicates 2,305 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.