A quiet street in St. Petersburg, Russia at the height of COVID-19. —  XINHUA/VNA Photo

MOSCOW — The Vietnamese Embassy in Russia has sent a diplomatic note to local authorities calling for their essential and timely health support for overseas Vietnamese.

The Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Moscow reported that the number of Vietnamese people infected with SARS-CoV-2 had increased sharply since the end of March.

As of April 15, about 100 Vietnamese in Russia were admitted to hospitals for common pneumonia and pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus.

Among those, at least 80 people in Moscow tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Many infected people who are in stable condition were advised by doctors to self isolate at home.

The Vietnamese Embassy has sought Russian competent agencies’ assistance in COVID-19 testing and treatment.

The embassy has also updated the pandemic developments to the Vietnamese community and offer support if needed.

As of Thursday morning, Russia recorded 24,490 cases including 198 deaths.

The government has put into operation additional treatment facilities to address overcrowding of healthcare facilities.

Moscow has become a hotspot of COVID-19 in Russia. Up to 54 per cent of healthcare facilities in Moscow are reportedly virus transmission sources. — VNS