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Russia does not hide any COVID-19 lethality data — official

The deputy PM recalled that Russia uses the WHO methodology to determine the COVID-19 mortality rate, which differentiates between confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 and cases when a person dies from other illnesses while testing positive for COVID-19

MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. Since the start of the pandemic, Russia has never hidden any data on COVID-19 mortality rate, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said on Monday.

"I can say absolutely clearly and officially, and I know what I’m talking about, that Russia is not hiding its mortality rate data, not even one bit of it. Besides, since the start of the pandemic, Russia has published all data on the general mortality rate and on the COVID-19 mortality rate," she said in an interview with Russia’s Channel One.

The official added that first COVID-19 deaths had been documented in Russia in March. "The main rise in mortality began in May and June," she explained.

Golikova recalled that Russia uses the methodology of the World Health Organization (WHO) to determine the COVID-19 mortality rate, which differentiates between confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 and cases when a person dies from other illnesses while testing positive for COVID-19. "Naturally, we will discuss the consequences of the coronavirus and the way it affects other chronic diseases with members of the World Health Organization and experts," the official added.

Since the start of the pandemic, about 80.8 mln people have contracted COVID-19 worldwide, and over 1.7 mln have died. Russia has documented 3,078,035 cases of COVID-19, 2,471,309 patients have recovered and 55,265 have died.