All You Need To Know About The New ‘Moscow’ Strain Found In Russia

The new strain, which has been dubbed the “Moscow” strain, could be driving the explosion in infections, as per experts.

Commuters wearing protective face masks stand in a metro train in Moscow. PIC/AFP.

Moscow: Even as Russia continues to witness a spike in infections of the deadly virus, the country’s scientists claim to have identified another variant of the coronavirus.

The new strain, which has been dubbed the “Moscow” strain, could be driving the explosion in infections, as per experts.

The scientists are investigating whether the “Moscow” strain is resistant to current vaccines. 

“Now we are monitoring the situation in Moscow, and most importantly, Moscow may still have its own Moscow strains,” Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology director Denis Logunov told the TASS news agency, Express reported.

On the other hand, a “non-working week” from June 15 to 19 has been announced by Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin in a bid to curb the rise in infections.

Besides, the field hospitals will also be reopened to treat coronavirus patients.

The country’s efforts to control the pandemic have been hindered by the slow vaccine rollout as only 12 percent of the population has so far received at least one dose of a Covid jab.

Despite having its own Covid vaccine Sputnik V, the Kremlin has admitted its vaccination programme left a lot to be desired.