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Vladimir Putin asks army for help as Russia battles Covid-19 surge
- Troops may be needed to build field hospitals, president says, as infections top 40,000 a day
- Russia, one of the worst-hit countries in the world, reported almost 45,000 deaths in September
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President Vladimir Putin said that Russia may need the army’s help to build field hospitals for Covid-19 patients as Russia battles a surge in infections that has led to a nationwide workplace shutdown.
“The situation in the country is very difficult,” Putin said in remarks on Monday to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and other top brass. “More than 40,000 cases (a day). This has never happened.
“I ask you to … continue to provide support to the civil medical service if needed. Maybe use your construction abilities because there is a need to keep building prefabricated medical facilities.”
Russia is one of the worst-hit countries in the world and a devastating wave this autumn has seen infections and deaths reach new records, with more than 1,000 fatalities per day.
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A government tally recorded 1,178 deaths on Tuesday, a new record, and 39,008 cases.
Putin last month ordered a week-long nationwide workplace shutdown from October 30 that could be extended by regional authorities as they saw fit.
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The Novgorod region northwest of Moscow became the first on Monday to say it would prolong this for a second week.
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