Russia clarifies cause of first virus-linked death

Russia reported its first death connected to the coronavirus pandemic on Thursday, initially saying an elderly woman died of pneumonia before changing the cause of death to a blood clot.

The Moscow health department said the 79-year-old, who had tested positive for COVID-19, died in a Moscow hospital.

Svetlana Krasnova, head doctor at Moscow's hospital No. 2 for infectious diseases, said in a statement that the woman had been admitted with "a host of chronic diseases", including type 2 diabetes and heart problems.

Officials said she had been treated in an intensive care unit and that people she had contact with had been isolated.

The statement said she died from pneumonia and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Twitter: "Unfortunately, we have the first loss from the coronavirus infection." But health officials later put out another statement saying an autopsy confirmed she had died of a blood clot.

A subsequent official tally of the number of official coronavirus cases in Russia included 199 confirmed infections but no deaths. It was not clear whether the woman's death would eventually be counted as a result of the virus.

Reports identified the woman as a professor at Moscow's Gubkin State Oil and Gas University, though the university did not confirm this.

Moscow officials on Wednesday urged elderly residents to stay away from crowded places like cafes and shopping centres.

The national health watchdog tightened restrictions for all travellers from abroad in a new decree published Thursday, requiring "all individuals arriving to Russia" to be isolated, either at home or elsewhere.

Previously only arrivals from a list of countries particularly hit were told to follow two-week-long self-isolation procedures. President Vladimir Putin this week said the coronavirus situation was "generally under control" and the government has promised to step up testing.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Thursday called on people to "cut down on contacts as much as possible".