putin
© Sputnik / Aleksey Druzhinin
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law allowing the government to declare a nationwide emergency should the current efforts not be enough to keep the situation with coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, under control.

In a case of emergency, the government would be able to directly control all medical goods and drugs trade within a special response system as well as introduce stricter quarantine measures. It would also be able to temporarily freeze all potential bankruptcy cases. The new legislation also separately introduces additional measures to support Russia's tourism industry.

Most of the country has already imposed some form of lockdown anyway. Residents of Moscow, where more than a half of all confirmed coronavirus cases are registered, have to comply with a strict home-isolation regime.

People diagnosed with Covid-19 and treated at home might soon be asked to install a special phone app that is designed to ensure their compliance with quarantine regulations while easing their communication with medics at the same time.

Over the last 24 hours, 440 more people tested positive for coronavirus, fewer than the previous day which saw 500 new cases. The total number of infected in Russia has reached 2,777, with 1,880 cases being confirmed in Moscow.