Italian Embassy tells Italians not to travel to Russia to avoid harsh Moscow quarantine measures

The Italian Embassy in Moscow has posted on Facebook recommending that citizens of Italy avoid traveling to Russia if they are currently displaying even mild respiratory symptoms or fevers.

The recommendation stemmed from newly announced anti-coronavirus measures devised by Moscow City Hall. Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has instituted “self-isolation regimes” for anyone arriving from Italy, China, Iran, and a range of other countries affected by the virus.

Italian diplomats urged travelers from Italy to consider the fact that anyone violating the new rules may face jail time. Sobyanin has also made clear that Moscow’s facial recognition system is being used to track individuals who are meant to be under quarantine as well as those who come into contact with them.