OMSK, March 29. /TASS/. First cases of the novel coronavirus infection have been registered in the southwestern Siberian city of Omsk, the regional government’s press service said on Saturday night.
"Three cases of the novel coronavirus infection were registered in the Omsk Region on March 28. Those infected are a family of three that has just arrived from a tourist trip to the United Arab Emirates. They returned home aboard the S7 2563 regular flight from Moscow to Omsk. After the arrival, the family stayed in quarantine at home," the press service said in a statement.
They tested positive for novel coronavirus ten days after their return.
"After that, they were placed into an infectious disease ward. At present, their condition is satisfactory and they show no symptoms of the disease," a regional administration spokesperson said.
All those who contacted with the family have been identified. They stay in isolation.
In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in more than 160 countries.
The WHO on March 11 declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. As of now, more than 575,000 people have been infected around the world and over 26,000 have died. Russia has 1,264 confirmed coronavirus cases, while 49 people recovered. According to the federal coronavirus prevention headquarters, four patients died, even though the fifth death was reported but this information needs to be verified.
In Russia’s vast region of Siberia, sporadic novel coronavirus cases were earlier reported in the regions of Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and Khakassia.