NOVO-OGARYOVO, June 20. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russian medics have managed to bring the losses from COVID-19 to a minimum.

"I am sure that you have done everything you could and more, showing real wonders of professionalism. What’s most important is that you have brought the losses to a minimum, this is your achievement!" the Russian leader said during a video call with Russian medics on Saturday.

Putin hopes that a vaccine against COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus, will appear in the near future.

"Let’s hope that a vaccine will appear in the very near future," the president said.

"The fact that we have drugs [against the coronavirus], to my mind, the best in the world on their quality and pureness, demonstrate the high level of Russian science in the field of research," Putin noted.

Clinical testing of the vaccine developed by the Gamalei National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology began on June 18. Eighteen volunteers have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. The testing is expected to conclude in late July. In early August, it will be clear whether the vaccine can be used among the Russian population.

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.

The experience of Moscow

Russian President hopes that the experience of Moscow medical professionals will help halt the spread of COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in Russian regions.

"We need to squeeze out, to beat the infection in the regions," the president said. "We see Moscow’s experience and we believe that we can do this effectively in the near future."

"In Moscow, the epidemic is on the decline, however, it remains at a rather critical stage in other regions," he explained.

The president has stressed the importance of mobilizing the healthcare system in conditions of a pandemic. He noted that overcoming the pandemic with minimal losses can be done due to the efforts of Russian medics and the timely hospitalization of all patients that require it.

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.

On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

Russia has documented 7,889 cases of COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in the past 24 hours, the anti-coronavirus crisis center informed reporters on Saturday. For four days running, the daily increase in new cases does not surpass 8,000.

According to the crisis center, Russia has documented a total of 576,952 cases of the virus. The daily increase rate reaches 1.4%.