Golikova's secretariat doesn't confirm info about first coronavirus case in Moscow
MOSCOW. Jan 31 (Interfax) - The secretariat of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova has not confirmed information that the first case of the new coronavirus was allegedly identified in Moscow.
"Information about the first such case in Moscow has been circulated: we do not confirm this information," the secretariat told reporters on Friday.
Golikova has been appointed to coordinate a response center for control and prevention of the import and spread of the novel coronavirus infection in Russia.
The response center for coronavirus control and prevention, for its part, has denied information circulated by Telegram channels and other media outlets alleging that the first coronavirus case was identified in Moscow.
"According to information provided by the Rospotrebnadzor department for Moscow, all patients have tested negative for the new coronavirus. Consequently, there are no confirmed cases of the new coronavirus infection in Moscow," Rospotrebnadzor, which is Russia's consumer rights and human wellbeing watchdog, said in a report.
A pneumonia outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, began in mid-December 2019. It was later determined that it was caused by a new strain of coronavirus.