MOSCOW, July 12. /TASS/. Risks of a further spread of the novel coronavirus infection in Russia are still in place and people are strongly advised to continue to obey by the sanitary rules and wear face masks in public places, Vladimir Chulanov, Russian health ministry’s chief visiting specialist in communicable diseases, said on Sunday.
"We continue to register a lot of new cases every day. The incidence rates are even growing in some regions, which means that risks of the infection’s further spread are still there. In order to consolidate the positive dynamics, it is necessary to continue to observe simple infection prevention rules, with the key one of them being wearing face masks in public places," the ministry quoted him as saying.
He noted that any mass gatherings, including protest rallies and demonstrations, create ideal conditions for a rapid spread of the infection. "The very alarming epidemic situation in some countries, such as the United States and India is a consequence of non-observance of the simple measures to prevent respiratory infections. Wearing face masks in public places can reduce the risks of catching the coronavirus infection considerably," he said, adding that a second wave of the coronavirus epidemic may be prevented if people continue to wear face masks, wash their hands frequently, keep a social distance and isolate those sick.
To date, 727,162 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 501,061 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 11,335 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.