Moscow mayor imposes home quarantine for people over 65

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Moscow mayor on Monday introduced quarantine for those over-65 and people with chronic problems.

The restrictive measures come into force starting from March 26, Sergey Sobyanin said in a statement published on his official website.

"The nature of the coronavirus is such that it primarily poses a threat to the life and health of the elderly and people with chronic diseases and low immunity. So our main task is to protect you -- Muscovites of the older generation.

From March 26 to April 14, Muscovites over-65 and citizens suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, chronic kidney disease, or cancer, as well as those who have suffered a heart attack or stroke are required to comply with the home regime. If you are working, please do not go to work," Sobyanin said.

The mayor published a phone number of a volunteer center, urging people to use the help of volunteers in case of necessity to buy food or medicines, and informed of a one-time payment to compensate expenses during self-isolation.

He also prohibited the mobile communication providers to stop serving over-65 and customers with chronic problems even if they did not pay the services.

In a separate statement, Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin also asked the elderly to stay at home and avoid gatherings.

On Monday, the number of coronavirus cases in Russia rose to 438, while 71 new patients were diagnosed with the deadly infection over the last 24 hours.

The virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 167 countries and regions around the globe, while the tally of confirmed cases exceeds 339,500 and the death toll is over 14,700, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a pandemic.

China, Italy, Iran and Spain continue to be the worst-affected countries.