Moscow Taking Joint Steps With China to Prevent Coronavirus From Spreading to Russia

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2020) Russia and China take all necessary measures to prevent the new coronavirus from spreading, including to the Russian territory, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

"Currently, the Russian side in close cooperation with Chinese partners is taking all necessary measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus to the territory of the Russian Federation ... As I have already said, telephone hotlines operate in diplomatic missions," Zakharova said at a briefing.

The new strain of coronavirus, named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization, was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in the Hubei province in late December and has since spread to more than 20 other countries. So far, the virus has infected over 45,000 people worldwide, resulting in the deaths of over 1,110 people.