Crew from Two Russian Submarines Quarantined

The crew from two Russian submarines have been placed in quarantine after a visitor to one of the vessels was found to have met with someone that tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).

The nuclear-powered Orel has a crew of around 110 sailors and sails as part of Russia's Northern Fleet. She was based on the Kola peninsula in Russia's northwest at the time of the contact, and the crew of a nearby submarine and the personnel on a floating workshop have also been quarantined, according to The Barents Observer.

Russia is currently building 16 medical centers, with a total capacity of 1,600 beds, with construction workers deployed around the clock in three shifts. The first medical center, in Nizhny Novgorod, will be commissioned by April 20 this year, and eight of the centers will also have medical equipment. All are expected to be operational by mid-May. Each facility will be from 5,000 to 12,000 square meters, and construction will be completed within 40 to 56 days. The staff for the centers are currently undergoing special training at the Military Medical Academy.

Meanwhile, Russia's Ministry of Defence has conducted a special training exercise to improve the readiness of troops to respond to localize emergencies. Those involved include military medics, engineering troops, combat military support units and military police.

According to the World Health Organization, Russia had 1,264 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on March 28.