Deputy PM: Pathogenicity of coronavirus on the par with plague, anthrax

The novel coronavirus infection today belongs to the second pathogenicity group which also includes plague and anthrax, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said on Friday.

"COVID-19 today is categorized in the second pathogenicity group. Among the diseases [of this group] known to you are plague, anthrax," she said during the New Knowledge educational marathon.

According to the federal anti-coronavirus crisis center to date, 6,975,174 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 6,236,738 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 185,611 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.