Russian Duma OKs state-of-emergency bill

The Russian parliament’s lower chamber, the State Duma, approved a bill on March 31 that allows PM Mikhail Mishustin to declare a state of emergency and to establish mandatory rules of conduct across the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Duma also approved a penalty of up to five years in prison for “knowingly” spreading false information during “natural and man-made emergencies” and up to seven years in prison for breaking hygienic and sanitation measures.
The legislation comes as the country recorded a 27% jump in cases, its biggest single-day rise so far. Authorities said the number of cases had jumped by 500 from the previous day.
Russia has so far reported 2,777 infections and 24 deaths. Critics believe that the real number of infections is higher, considering the low level of testing and the 37% increase in pneumonia cases in Moscow in January, seen as a sign of unreported coronavirus cases.
On Monday, Moscow imposed a lockdown. Under the new measures, all nonessential shops, including restaurants and cafes are closed. Citizens are only allowed to leave their homes in case of a medical emergency, to travel to essential jobs and to shop for food or medicine.
President Vladimir Putin has declared a “nonworking” week in the country. He has also postponed the public vote on his constitutional reforms that would allow him to seek reelection in 2024 by restarting the term count.
Yesterday, Denis Protsenko, the chief physician of a Moscow hospital that has been dealing with coronavirus patients has tested positive. Last week, Protsenko gave Putin a tour of the hospital, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov assured the media that Putin tested regularly and all the tests came back negative.