COVID-19 Infection Rates In Russia Expected To Increase In Mid-Spring

Muhammad Irfan Published March 07, 2021 | 06:10 AM

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th March, 2021) A spike in coronavirus infections is expected in Russia in mid-spring, but the number of COVID-19 cases will go down at the end of May, infectious disease experts told Sputnik.

"I think that in mid-spring, most likely, there will not be a decrease, but an increase in infections," Evgeny Timakov, head physician, infectious disease specialist at the "Lider Meditsiny" medical center told Sputnik.

Timakov explained that even those who have already come into contact with the coronavirus, particularly people who had mild or asymptomatic COVID-19, will be at risk since their antibody protection from the virus is wearing off.

"We also have the seasonal increase in infections which weakens immunity, the air contributes to the spread of the coronavirus infection because of certain humidity and temperature," Timakov explained.

Sergey Voznesensky, Associate Professor of the Department of Infectious Diseases of the RUDN University told Sputnik that the number of coronavirus cases in Russia has been increasing but will go down in about two months.

"We very much hope that the rate of infections will go down by April-May," Voznesensky said.

On Saturday, Russia reported 11,022 new coronavirus cases, including 1,290 asymptomatic cases. The highest local daily increases were confirmed in Moscow (1,820), St. Petersburg (975) and the Moscow Region (746).

Russia's cumulative case count has now reached 4,312,181 with the rate of increase currently standing at 0.26 percent. The total coronavirus death toll in Russia stands at over 88,700.