The expert called the capture of stray animals in Moscow in connection with the coronavirus contrary to WHO recommendations

The head of the sector of the Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Nikolai Nikitin, in an interview with Barking News, called the measures of Rospotrebnadzor to catch stray animals as part of the fight against the spread of coronavirus as contrary to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). RIA Novosti reported on the beginning of the catch on February 26.

“Today, a large-scale complex of complete deratization is being carried out in the city, catching wild animals and strays,” said Elena Andreeva, head of the capital’s department of Rospotrebnadzor. She added that catching cats and dogs is part of “unprecedented” preventative measures.

According to Nikitin, WHO has no evidence that pets can be carriers of the new coronavirus COVID-19. Science knows only two intestinal coronavirus infections that affect cats. The animal “host” of COVID-19 has not yet been identified; presumably, it could be bats and pangolins.

As the expert emphasizes, there is also no evidence that pets can become infected, much less transmit the new coronavirus to humans.

“Mass extermination of stray animals and domestic cats is an extremely dangerous measure for the ecological balance. Potentially, in the near future, this could lead to an increase in the population of rodents, carriers of dangerous bacterial and viral infections, such as plague, tularemia, foot-and-mouth disease, rabies and others,” Nikitin warned.

On February 27, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova told RIA Novosti that all restrictions imposed by the Russian Federation due to coronavirus will be extended until April 1. At the same time, from March 1, air traffic with South Korea, where there is a sharp increase in the incidence rate, will be limited.

In addition, from February 28, in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak, a ban on the issuance of visas to Iranian citizens, except for business and humanitarian ones, has been introduced. Federal Rospotrebnadzor recommended that Russians refrain from traveling to Italy, South Korea and Iran due to a sharp increase in the incidence of COVID-19 in these countries.

The Moscow Department of Rospotrebnadzor sent an order to restaurants to strengthen the disinfection regime: install ultraviolet bactericidal lamps, oblige staff to wear disposable protective masks, use hand sanitizers, wash dishes more thoroughly and wipe door handles every hour.

The Embassy of the People's Republic of China called for a stop to checking its citizens for the COVID-19 coronavirus in Moscow transport. The embassy believes that the inspection and questioning measures are discriminatory and disproportionate. Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov denies possible discrimination against Chinese citizens. He said that measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Russia “are being taken for everyone.” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also does not consider the isolation of citizens of China and other countries affected by the coronavirus epidemic to be discrimination.

As of February 27, the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide is 82,140, ​​2,802 people have died, and more than 32,000 patients have recovered.