The coronavirus hit Russia late, but is now gathering steam. This week, identified cases have been increasing by around 6,000 daily. As elsewhere, we can assume that unidentified infections are spreading much faster. How has Russia reacted? Among other things Russia has responded by drawing on some of its useful experience controlling tuberculosis since the collapse of the Soviet Union, by suffering from the weaknesses of an imperfectly reformed health system and by seeing control efforts undercut by a legacy of inadequate and unevenly distributed medical facilities.
