Two coronavirus patients – aged 88 and 73 – died in Moscow, the city’s health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday. Both of the patients were said to have pre-existing health issues and it was not immediately clear from the statement whether they succumbed to the Covid-19.

The development comes as Russia experienced a major surge in coronavirus cases. On Wednesday they jumped by 163 to 658, with the majority of them registered in Moscow which appears to be Russia’s hotbed of the outbreak.

So far, Russia has been largely spared by the coronavirus pandemic that has affected more than 400,000 people. Thousands of people in Russia, who returned from coronavirus-ravaged countries or had contact with such individuals, remain quarantined.

The country’s authorities have announced the closure of large entertainment venues, urging people to stay home. Educational facilities, as well as many businesses have already switched to a remote work mode, yet Russia, so far, has fallen short of imposing harsh lockdown measures, implemented by a number of other countries.

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