29 Apr 2020 22:47

Total of 2,396 Russian servicemen, military university students, teachers, and cadets have contracted Covid-19 since March

MOSCOW. April 29 (Interfax) - A total of 2,396 Russian servicemen, students and teachers of military universities, and cadets of pre-university educational establishments, as well as 279 civilian personnel of the Russian Armed Forces have contracted coronavirus since March, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

Eighty-two servicemen and ten civilian personnel have already recovered from Covid-19 since March, according to statistics published on the ministry's website.

Sixty-six students of Defense Ministry pre-college establishments have been acknowledged as healthy after passing a 15-day quarantine period and repeatedly testing negative for coronavirus, its aid.

"Total testing in the Russian Armed Forces has detected 1,044 service members with positive tests from March to April 29," the ministry said.

As many as 332 infected Armed Forces personnel are undergoing treatment at Defense Ministry hospitals, 253 at isolation wards at their service locations, eight in civilian medical institutions, and 451 people self-isolated at home.

"All service members with positive tests are being permanently monitored by military medics. Two of them are in critical condition, including one on a ventilator, 11 others in serious but stable condition, and the rest have shown no symptoms," it said.

The number of service members who have tested positive for Covid-19 at higher military colleges, including cadets and students, was 1,075 on April 29, it said.

As many as 404 of these service members are undergoing treatment at Defense Ministry hospitals, 548 at isolation wards at their service locations, 14 at civilian hospitals, and 109 self-isolated at home.

"The number of teachers and students of pre-college educational establishments who have tested positive [for Covid-19] is 277," it said.

As many as 19 of them are undergoing treatment at Defense Ministry hospitals, 10 at civilian hospitals, and 248 at Defense Ministry recuperation centers.

The number of civilian personnel at the Russian Armed Forces infected with new coronavirus is 279, it said.

Twenty-nine of them are undergoing treatment at Defense Ministry hospitals, 34 at civilian hospitals, 203 self-isolated at home, and 13 others are currently at Defense Ministry recuperation centers.

The Armed Forces have deployed 5,554 thermometry stations and put together special monitoring and response teams.

"For diagnostics purposes, 23 specialized labs capable of conducting up to 11,500 tests a day have been deployed. To isolate and monitor people who had contacts with patients infected with coronavirus, 182 observation wards for 30,000 patients have been established," the ministry said.

"Military hospitals have prepared 6,745 beds for the possible treatment of infected military personnel. Seven mobile centers for 700 patients have also been prepared for deployment, and 86 doctor-nurse teams have been set up. Upon arriving at their service location, all Armed Forces personnel undergo a mandatory medical examination, including the measurement of their body temperatures," it said.