Over 10% of Moscow residents have recovered from COVID-19, official data suggests, however, the real case count may be three or four times higher due to asymptomatic cases or people who did not seek medical attention, Moscow Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova stated on Friday.
"Moscow had to bear the brunt of the pandemic in the country. So far, over 10% of Moscow residents have officially recovered from the disease, and Moscow accounts for about 25% of all cases across the country. If we include asymptomatic cases or people who did not go to the doctor, we can multiply this number by three or four times, for sure," Rakova said during a plenary session of the Moscow Urban Forum.
She noted that the main reason for the outbreak of COVID-19 in Moscow is the spread of a new strain. "Since June, we have been witnessing another acute outbreak of COVID-19 in Moscow. Of course, it is caused by a range of reasons. But the main reason is the new viral strain, the Indian strain," Rakova said.
Moscow ranks first among Russian regions on the number of COVID-19 cases, with 1,365,812 cases documented in the city as of July 1, including 7,597 new cases on Thursday. Meanwhile, 1,164,653 patients have recovered, and 22,556 have died.
