Moscow City Charged With Manipulation Details Coronavirus Mortality

The city of Moscow has detailed its mortality statistics, attributing 636 April deaths directly to the new coronavirus, and identifying 925 others where it may have been a factor, details on the background of accusations of manipulation.

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The Russian capital, Russia's main epidemic focus, has slightly reduced the number of deaths caused directly by Covid-19 disease from 639 to 636. Only these are taken into account in the official count of the number of deaths due to the epidemic. The Moscow Department of Health has, however, for the first time detailed the deaths where the new coronavirus is considered an ancillary factor.

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Thus, 756 additional people positive for the new coronavirus died in Moscow but from another disease, according to their autopsies. In 360 cases, Covid-19 is considered to have "most probably had a significant influence on the main disease and its fatal complications" .

The growing nose

Still after an autopsy, 169 people who were tested negative for the new coronavirus, during their lifetime and after their death, are nevertheless suspected of having died from Covid-19. A total of 1,561 people died as a result of the new coronavirus in Moscow.

Russia has been accused by media and critics of disguising its mortality statistics, which would explain why it has recorded just over 4,000 deaths, far less than Western Europe.

Russian authorities have dismissed the charges, saying they have always said they count only deaths caused by the coronavirus, while other countries count all deaths of people who test positive. The Russian government has also admitted to expecting a "significant" increase in its general mortality in May. Nevertheless, he judges that the mortality in Russia of the Covid-19 will be less than in Western Europe, because the epidemic hit the country later. The health system was thus reorganized in time and a massive screening policy was put in place. Other factors, notably demographic factors, are also taken into account.

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