Coronavirus statistics in Chechnya shows different perception of epidemic by residents and authorities

The increase in the number of coronavirus cases has to do not only with the infection spread, but also with the growing number of tests, experts have explained. The doubts of residents of Chechnya about the quarantine efficiency are caused primarily by the position of the authorities, Svetlana Gannushkina, a human rights defender, believes.

About 80% of infection cases are asymptomatic; and a person may not notice that he/she is infected, Andrei Makashov, a biologist, told the "Caucasian Knot".

Alexei Kupriyanov, a historical demography expert, has confirmed that "the disease has a latent period when a person is infected and can infect others, but at the same time he feels fine."

According to his story, the decline in the number of infection cases will also be recorded with some delay, when the epidemic peak is behind.

Svetlana Gannushkina, the chair of the "Civil Assistance" Committee, has noted, while commenting on the attitude of residents of Chechnya to the quarantine, the authorities' intention to reload the responsibility on residents themselves.

"The leadership of Chechnya was frightened and began blaming the patients themselves for the disease. A similar thing was observed in the Middle Ages," she has stated.