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Russia supplies over 1.3 mln COVID-19 testing systems to 45 countries

The help is free of charge, according to the chief sanitary doctor

ST.PETERSBURG, December 9. /TASS/. Russia has delivered more than 1.3 mln testing systems for diagnosing the novel coronavirus to 45 countries free-of-charge, chief sanitary doctor Anna Popova said on Wednesday.

"Scientific and methodological and material-technical assistance to the partner states in combating COVID-19 includes the delivery of testing systems free-of-charge. More than 1.3 mln [testing systems] have been supplied to 45 countries," Popova, who heads the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, told an international conference on curbing the novel coronavirus and other infections.

In addition, Russia’s sanitary watchdog has been tasked to supply more than 1 mln COVID-19 tests to Russia’s partner states.

Since the start of the pandemic, about 68.3 mln people have been infected worldwide, while the total death toll hit 1.5 mln. In Russia, according to the federal anti-coronavirus crisis center, 2,541,199 cases of infection were registered, 2,007,792 people recovered and 44,718 died. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.