Elena Teslova
11 January 2022•Update: 11 January 2022
MOSCOW
The omicron coronavirus variant is spreading fast in Russia and the situation is likely to worsen in the coming days, the country’s top health official warned on Tuesday.
In the worst-case scenario, the number of daily cases could spike to six-digit figures, Anna Popova, Russia’s chief sanitary officer, said at a government meeting in the capital Moscow.
She said the omicron strain has been “rapidly spreading” in the country.
Over the New Year holiday, the number of patients infected with omicron tripled and currently stands at 305, she added.
She said people should immediately seek medical assistance if they feel any flu-like symptoms, and employers should tell workers with symptoms to work from home.
Russia reported 17,525 new cases and 783 fatalities on Tuesday.
Infections in Moscow increased 66% over the past day to 4,635 – the highest figure in two months.
Sergey Sobyanin, the capital’s mayor, warned on Tuesday that there is already a “significant” presence of the omicron strain in Moscow.
He said infections may surge over the next seven to 10 days, adding that the situation could be “worse than in previous waves.”
Another warning came from Alexander Gintsburg, head of the state-run Gamaleya Institute that developed Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, who said the country will soon be “covered” by the omicron variant and authorities must brace for a “very high” number of infections.
