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| After Months of Denial, Russia Admits the Virus Is Taking Hold | After Months of Denial, Russia Admits the Virus Is Taking Hold |
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| MOSCOW — The authorities in Moscow said on Friday that coronavirus cases are increasing rapidly here and have already pushed the city’s health care system to its limit. | MOSCOW — The authorities in Moscow said on Friday that coronavirus cases are increasing rapidly here and have already pushed the city’s health care system to its limit. |
| Warning that the outbreak in the Russian capital was far from reaching its peak, Anastasia Rakova, a deputy mayor responsible for health, said that the number of people hospitalized with the illness related to the virus in Moscow had more than doubled over the past week to 6,500. Nearly half of those infected are under the age of 45. | Warning that the outbreak in the Russian capital was far from reaching its peak, Anastasia Rakova, a deputy mayor responsible for health, said that the number of people hospitalized with the illness related to the virus in Moscow had more than doubled over the past week to 6,500. Nearly half of those infected are under the age of 45. |
| The city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, sounded a further alarm, saying that the virus “is gaining momentum” and that “the situation is becoming increasingly problematic.” | The city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, sounded a further alarm, saying that the virus “is gaining momentum” and that “the situation is becoming increasingly problematic.” |
| A flurry of bad news on Friday about the outbreak indicated that Russia, relatively spared until now from the ravages of the virus, has started on the same harrowing path taken weeks ago by hard hit countries like Italy and now the United States. This has dashed hopes in the Kremlin that its decision in late January to close Russia’s long border with China, the original source of the virus, and then limit travel from Europe had contained the outbreak. | A flurry of bad news on Friday about the outbreak indicated that Russia, relatively spared until now from the ravages of the virus, has started on the same harrowing path taken weeks ago by hard hit countries like Italy and now the United States. This has dashed hopes in the Kremlin that its decision in late January to close Russia’s long border with China, the original source of the virus, and then limit travel from Europe had contained the outbreak. |
| President Vladimir V. Putin, who usually takes the lead with great fanfare in times of crisis, has mostly stayed in the background. He has retreated to his country residence outside Moscow, leaving Mr. Sobyanin, the mayor, and Russia’s prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, to take the heat for a health crisis that now looks set to get far worse. | President Vladimir V. Putin, who usually takes the lead with great fanfare in times of crisis, has mostly stayed in the background. He has retreated to his country residence outside Moscow, leaving Mr. Sobyanin, the mayor, and Russia’s prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, to take the heat for a health crisis that now looks set to get far worse. |
| Ms. Rakova, the Moscow official, warned that the capital’s ambulance service and hospitals were now stretched to the limit. The virus has also started to wreak havoc in Russia’s vast hinterland, where the ramshackle health system seems to be contributing to the spread of the pathogen. | Ms. Rakova, the Moscow official, warned that the capital’s ambulance service and hospitals were now stretched to the limit. The virus has also started to wreak havoc in Russia’s vast hinterland, where the ramshackle health system seems to be contributing to the spread of the pathogen. |
| Hospitals in at least two regions are already overwhelmed by infected patients. In Syktyvkar, the capital of the Komi oil-producing region northeast of Moscow, the main hospital has more than 200 infected people, while scores of medical personnel and more than a thousand patients at a hospital in Ufa, 700 miles east of Moscow, have been ordered not to leave the premises after 170 people there tested positive. | Hospitals in at least two regions are already overwhelmed by infected patients. In Syktyvkar, the capital of the Komi oil-producing region northeast of Moscow, the main hospital has more than 200 infected people, while scores of medical personnel and more than a thousand patients at a hospital in Ufa, 700 miles east of Moscow, have been ordered not to leave the premises after 170 people there tested positive. |
| Deviating from previous official assurances that Russia is well prepared for a possible crush of patients, the health minister, Mikhail Murashko, on Friday warned that the country’s health care services were now “experiencing stress regarding supplies,” including the supply of personal protection equipment and ventilators. | Deviating from previous official assurances that Russia is well prepared for a possible crush of patients, the health minister, Mikhail Murashko, on Friday warned that the country’s health care services were now “experiencing stress regarding supplies,” including the supply of personal protection equipment and ventilators. |
| And with Mr. Putin having scored a propaganda coup recently by sending planeloads of such medical supplies to a variety of countries, including the United States, the reports of shortages could become a sore point. | And with Mr. Putin having scored a propaganda coup recently by sending planeloads of such medical supplies to a variety of countries, including the United States, the reports of shortages could become a sore point. |
| With little good news to celebrate on earth, Mr. Putin on Friday spoke with Russian and American astronauts on board the international space station, congratulating them on their safe arrival in space aboard a Russian rocket launched on Thursday. Keeping his distance from the coronavirus crisis, Mr. Putin also chaired a teleconference about Russia’s aerospace industry. | With little good news to celebrate on earth, Mr. Putin on Friday spoke with Russian and American astronauts on board the international space station, congratulating them on their safe arrival in space aboard a Russian rocket launched on Thursday. Keeping his distance from the coronavirus crisis, Mr. Putin also chaired a teleconference about Russia’s aerospace industry. |
| Moscow reported 1,124 new cases of confirmed coronavirus infections on Friday, bringing the total in the city to 7,822, compared with more than 80,000 in New York City. The authorities in the Russian capital, which accounts for two-thirds of all cases in the country, last week ordered residents to stay at home except to buy food and medicine and to walk their dogs within 100 yards of their residence. But eager to avoid too much disruption to the economy, they have done little to enforce the restrictions. | Moscow reported 1,124 new cases of confirmed coronavirus infections on Friday, bringing the total in the city to 7,822, compared with more than 80,000 in New York City. The authorities in the Russian capital, which accounts for two-thirds of all cases in the country, last week ordered residents to stay at home except to buy food and medicine and to walk their dogs within 100 yards of their residence. But eager to avoid too much disruption to the economy, they have done little to enforce the restrictions. |
| Police cars drive around the city broadcasting a message appealing to “dear citizens” to stay indoors, and the mayor, Mr. Sobyanin, has made increasingly insistent calls for Muscovites to follow self-quarantine rules. On Friday, he warned that Moscow was still “somewhere at the base of the peak” and needed to prepare for “a serious test ahead.” | Police cars drive around the city broadcasting a message appealing to “dear citizens” to stay indoors, and the mayor, Mr. Sobyanin, has made increasingly insistent calls for Muscovites to follow self-quarantine rules. On Friday, he warned that Moscow was still “somewhere at the base of the peak” and needed to prepare for “a serious test ahead.” |
| Updated June 12, 2020 | Updated June 12, 2020 |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. |
| Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. | Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| After weeks of debate about the accuracy of official figures, an official letter to Moscow hospital directors leaked online and seemed to support allegations by Kremlin critics that Russia’s relatively low coronavirus figures were not true. The letter, signed by the head of Moscow’s health department, Aleksei Khripun, acknowledged that testing had been compromised by a “very high number of false results” that masked the true extent of Covid-19. | After weeks of debate about the accuracy of official figures, an official letter to Moscow hospital directors leaked online and seemed to support allegations by Kremlin critics that Russia’s relatively low coronavirus figures were not true. The letter, signed by the head of Moscow’s health department, Aleksei Khripun, acknowledged that testing had been compromised by a “very high number of false results” that masked the true extent of Covid-19. |
| Anastasia Vasilieva, the head of an independent doctors’ union, has accused the government of downplaying the number of cases by deliberately misclassifying Covid-19 as pneumonia. She was detained last week in what was seen as punishment for puncturing an official narrative that everything is under control. | Anastasia Vasilieva, the head of an independent doctors’ union, has accused the government of downplaying the number of cases by deliberately misclassifying Covid-19 as pneumonia. She was detained last week in what was seen as punishment for puncturing an official narrative that everything is under control. |
| But Russia’s health minister, Mr. Murashko, has himself since come close to acknowledging widespread misclassification. In an interview on state television, he said that patients with pneumonia will from now on be treated in the same way as those confirmed as having coronavirus. | But Russia’s health minister, Mr. Murashko, has himself since come close to acknowledging widespread misclassification. In an interview on state television, he said that patients with pneumonia will from now on be treated in the same way as those confirmed as having coronavirus. |