First COVID-19 death reported in Russia

The Russian authorities have reported the first death of a coronavirus-infected patient in Russia.

The elderly woman was hospitalized on March 13, and was soon moved to intensive care. The patient suffered from many chronic diseases, and doctors could not save her life.

In Moscow, a patient who was diagnosed with a new coronavirus died as a result of severe pneumonia due to concomitant chronic diseases, representatives of the Moscow operational headquarters to combat the coronavirus said.

The 79-year-old woman was hospitalized on March 13. She was initially sent to a private clinic, but after she was tested positive for coronavirus, she was transferred to Moscow's Infectious Diseases Hospital No.2.

"Due to increased respiratory distressed, she was receiving complex intensive care therapy. The patient was staying in an isolated box at the Moscow hospital. She died as a result of pneumonia against the background of a very serious concomitant pathology," officials said.

In addition to coronavirus-caused pneumonia, the woman had diabetes mellitus type II, arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, and atherosclerosis. Shortly before hospitalization, the woman had received coronary arteries stenting surgery.

The entire circle of people, with whom the deceased had been in contact with, was taken under observation. None of them have any severe symptoms.