Russian Government Has Access To Full-Scale COVID-19 Incidence Database - Kremlin

Russian Government Has Access to Full-Scale COVID-19 Incidence Database - Kremlin

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd July, 2021) The Russian authorities have all the data on the incidence of coronavirus in the country at their disposal to take all the necessary preventive measures, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Russian media outlets Meduza, regarded as a foreign agent in Russia, Holod Media and Mediazona published results of their joint investigation, according to which the number of COVID-19 cases recorded in Russia is up to five times higher than the official statistics.

The Kremlin spokesperson dismissed the media investigation as "a compilation of God knows what" that does not correspond to reality.

"The government has all the data necessary to establish further steps to combat the pandemic and continue the line for vaccination of the population at a rapid fast-forward," Peskov told reporters.

When asked whether President Vladimir Putin will order to ensure greater information openness on the pandemic-related issues, Peskov said that such a decree has already been on the agenda.

"First of all, this instruction was formulated yesterday. It will be further worked on, but this an instruction indeed, issued by the president. There is no issue of data openness, I cannot agree with you here," Peskov responded.

He also noted that the government received more data than what is issued for the public.

"This is data by region, of a technical nature. The complete picture of what is happening is established based on these various data, including of technical [nature]," the spokesman explained.

When asked if Kremlin was concerned about the veracity of the received data on the virus, Peskov denied such assumptions.

"No, [Kremlin] is not concerned. We believe that the data is fully published," he said.