Nearly 12,000 children hospitalized with Covid-19 in Russia - health minister

MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Nearly 12,000 children have been hospitalized with Covid-19 in Russia, according to Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko.

"Nearly 12,000 children are receiving hospital care, and the number of hospitalizations has grown 28% over the week," Murashko said at a meeting of the Presidium of the government's Coordination Council for Coronavirus Response.

In his words, 41,000 children have been vaccinated for Covid-19.

"The vaccination of children aged from 12 to 17 has begun. It is voluntary, and 41,000 children have been vaccinated to date," Murashko said.

"The deployment of additional hospital beds is being prepared; there are 16,000 hospital beds available and 26% of them are unoccupied," he said.

"Slightly less than 3% of hospitalized children require keen attention, including those in ICUs," Murashko said.

Russia has a sufficient stock of vaccines for children, he added.