Two elderly coronavirus patients with pre-existing conditions die in Moscow – authorities

Russia's Covid-19 death toll rose to three on Wednesday evening after officials announced that two elderly coronavirus patients have died in Moscow. Both of them suffered from pneumonia and had pre-existing medical conditions.

The two deaths occurred in Moscow, and the deceased were aged 88 and 73 respectively. Both were diagnosed earlier with Covid-19. Last week, a 79-year-old patient, with a range of other illnesses, died after contracting coronavirus, although a postmortem showed the cause was ultimately detached blood clot. 

The latest development comes as Russia experienced a major surge in reported infections on Wednesday, with numbers jumping by 163 to 658, the majority of them in the capital. 

In contrast with comparable major European countries, Russia has been largely spared the worst of the pandemic. so far. However, thousands of people who returned from coronavirus-ravaged countries or had contact with such individuals, remain quarantined.

Moscow's mayor has mentioned the role of well-heeled travelers who visited the elite French Courchevel ski resort in helping to spread Covid-19 in the Russian capital. Sergey Sobyanin says they brought "a suitcase of viruses" back from the Alps.

Russian authorities have announced the closure of large entertainment venues, such as nightclubs and cinemas, urging people to stay home. Educational facilities, as well as many businesses have already switched to a remote work mode. 

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