Putin : The coronavirus situation in Russia remains very tense and the country has not passed its peak yet

The coronavirus situation in Russia remains very tense and the country has not passed its peak yet, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"The daily number of new cases of the disease has relatively stabilized. But this should not 'soothe' us since the situation remains very tense. Specialists and scientists say that the peak has not passed yet," the Russian president stressed.

He said The lifting of restrictions after the country passes the peak of the coronavirus epidemic will not happen simultaneously across the country, President Vladimir Putin stated.

“We cannot discuss any simultaneous lifting of restrictions, this is simply inadmissible, we must brace ourselves for having a difficult path ahead, on which all risks must be foreseen," he stressed.

"I instruct the government and the Russian Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare to prepare recommendations in tandem with the working group of the State Council, that is, criteria and parameters for step-by-step lifting of the restrictive measures starting May 12. This must be done within a week, that is, by May 5," Putin stated.

A total of 93,558 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 8,456 patients having recovered from the virus. Russia’s latest data indicates 867 fatalities nationwide.