Russia denies mystery virus outbreak after row of ambulances seen outside hospitals
Health department says morbidity situation is normal and corresponds to epidemic season
MOSCOW (Web Desk) - The Kremlin's health department in Moscow has denied reports of the outbreak.
Pictures and videos of huge lines of ambulances outside Russian hospitals have sparked rumours of a mystery virus outbreak in the country.
Videos circulating online show huge lines of ambulances waiting outside infectious disease hospitals in Moscow, a UK media outlet reported.
Russian-language Telegram channel Baza, which claims to be linked to the country's security services, shared the videos, claiming, ''Most of the sick people have pneumonia.'' Baza claimed that about 30 ambulances gathered at the first hospital, and more than 10 at the second. T
However, the Kremlin's health department in Moscow denied reports of the outbreak.
It said in a statement: "The situation when several ambulances arrive for hospitalisation in an infectious diseases hospital is standard. The growth in the incidence of ARVI and COVID-19 in Moscow has slowed down; the figures for the last week do not exceed the data of the previous period.
"And COVID-19 incidence rates have been declining for two weeks. Over the next one to two weeks, the incidence rate is predicted to reach a plateau."
The department further said there is "no significant increase in hospitalisations in the city" and that the "morbidity situation is normal and corresponds to the epidemic season.
The statement continued: "Having up to 24 cars on-site at the same time is standard practice during peak hours and is not a queue or an emergency situation.
The hospital regularly monitors the arrival of patients; the situation, when there were about 23 cars on the territory, was resolved within half an hour. In [hospital] Number Two, similarly...the presence of 10 cars on the territory is the absolute norm.''
It comes after the World Health Organization published a news release on December 15 that respiratory infectious diseases are on the rise across the WHO's European Region.
''Seasonal cold weather has set in across the WHO European Region, leading to circulation of respiratory pathogens and more people becoming sick. Many of these pathogens affect young children, especially those under 5 years, alongside other at-risk groups, such as people with comorbidities and people aged over 65 years,'' the release read.
''A similar increase in hospitalizations was seen at this time last year, driven by an early seasonal increase in the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in infants and young children.
RSV is a seasonal virus that recurs each year in Europe, with peaks mainly during the autumn, winter, and spring months (October to April),'' it further noted.
Last month, a sudden spike in respiratory illnesses was also witnessed across China. Most of the cases were reported in children and the surge sparked a rush to hospitals by anxious parents, putting top pediatric medical centers under strain.
Pictures of overcrowded hallways and children on intravenous infusions have gone viral on Chinese social media.
