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Coronavirus pandemic

Late introduction of COVID-19 restrictive measures threatens people’s lives — PM

The prime minister urged the regional heads to take proactive measures

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin Dmitry Astakhov/POOL/TASS

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin

© Dmitry Astakhov/POOL/TASS

MOSCOW, November 16. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin warned heads of Russian regions that untimely introduction of measures aimed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus may threaten people’s lives.

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"I would like to address the heads of Russian regions. In the majority of regions, the tense situation was caused by the untimely restrictive measures; it threatens the lives and health of people and puts pressure on the healthcare system," the PM said on Monday during a session of the Coordination Council tasked with combating the spread of the coronavirus.

The PM pointed out that the government provided the legal and methodological basis for the regions to take proactive measures. He stressed that all sanitary measures must be strictly followed.

"In order to preserve citizens’ health, we need to take proactive measures, without waiting for the situation to worsen," the PM stated.

Since the start of the pandemic, about 54.4 mln people have been diagnosed with COVID-19, over 1.3 mln have died. Russia has documented 1,948,603 cases of infection; 1,453,849 patients have recovered and 33,489 have died. On November 16, Russia recorded a record-high daily increase of COVID-19 cases, which came up to 22,778.

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