Moscow orders controls to slow rising outbreak

Moscow’s mayor on Saturday ordered a week off for some workplaces and imposed restrictions on many businesses to fight coronavirus infections that have more than doubled in the past week.

The national coronavirus task force reported 6,701 new cases of infection in Moscow, compared with 2,936 on June 6. Nationally, the daily infection tally has spiked by nearly 50% over the past week, to 13,510.

After several weeks of lockdown as the pandemic spread in the spring of 2020, Moscow eased restrictions and did not reimpose any during subsequent case increases. But because of the recent sharp rise, “it is impossible not to react to such a situation,” Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

He ordered that enterprises that do not normally work on weekends remain closed for the next week while continuing to pay employees. In addition, food courts and children’s play areas in shopping centers are to close for a week beginning Sunday, and restaurants and bars must limit their service to takeout from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Earlier in the week, city authorities said enforcement of mask and glovewearing on mass transit, in stores and in other public places would be strengthened and that violators could face fines of up to 5,000 rubles ($70).

Although Russia was the first country to deploy a coronavirus vaccine, its use has been relatively low; many Russians are reluctant to get vaccinated. President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said 18 million Russians have received the vaccine — about 12% of the population.

Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP / Getty Images A safety worker disinfects Moscow’s Belorussky railway station Friday. The city has set new restrictions to fight daily virus infections, which have more than doubled in the past week.