A Russian court has ordered Alla Ilyina to be placed back into coronavirus quarantine days after she escaped from a hospital in St. Petersburg.
Ilyina, 32, was placed under a 14-day quarantine in St. Petersburg’s Botkinskaya clinic earlier this month after returning from China’s Hainan resort island with symptoms of a possible coronavirus infection. She escaped from the quarantine two days later after testing negative for the coronavirus, telling media that her forced solitary confinement was unconstitutional.
A St. Petersburg court on Monday ordered Ilyina to be placed back in the hospital, the local Fontanka.ru news website reported. Medical workers and ambulances were spotted outside the court building before the verdict was read, and she was taken from the court to the hospital following the order.
The chief sanitary doctor of the Botkinskaya clinic had filed a lawsuit against Ilyina following her widely publicized escape last week, arguing that she presented a public health risk because she had not sat out the required 14-day quarantine period.
Thousands of people have been quarantined in Russia over the coronavirus scare in recent weeks, though only two cases of the virus have been confirmed so far within the country.
Experts say Monday’s court ruling may set a precedent for future quarantine cases in Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Rospotrebnadzor consumer protection watchdog on Monday proposed stricter punishments for patients who violate quarantines, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
