Covid-Like ‘Mystery’ Virus Making Russians Cough Up Blood? Moscow Says…

Last Updated:April 02, 2025, 08:43 IST

Mystery Virus In Russia: Russian agency Rospotrebnadzor said that there is "no evidence of a new or unidentified virus circulating on the territory of the Russian Federation."

Mystery Virus In Russia: Reports of an "unknown virus" first surfaced on March 29 on SHOT, a Russian breaking news Telegram channel. (Image: Representational)

Russian authorities denied reports of an unidentified virus that causes patients to cough up blood and suffer from prolonged high fever. Officials said that no new pathogens have been detected after reports alleged that Russia was witnessing a surge of patients exhibiting severe respiratory symptoms.

Russian agency Rospotrebnadzor said that there is “no evidence of a new or unidentified virus circulating on the territory of the Russian Federation."

What We Know About ‘Mystery’ Virus In Russia

Reports of an “unknown virus" first surfaced on March 29 on SHOT, a Russian breaking news Telegram channel. Reports claimed that patients in multiple Russian cities were reporting high fevers, body aches and severe coughing that persisted for weeks. These patients tested negative for influenza A, B, and SARS-CoV-2.

Doctors reportedly listed the cause on medical forms as “acute upper respiratory tract infection of unspecified origin".

What Russian Authorities Said On ‘Mystery’ Virus?

Rospotrebnadzor said that the situation was “stable and completely controlled. Currently, the epidemiological situation in the Russian Federation for a group of respiratory infections, including SARS, influenza, COVID-19 and community-acquired pneumonia, is stable and fully controlled. There is a decrease in the incidence rate. The epidemiological situation for this group of infections in Moscow is also stable."

It said, “In the course of ongoing epidemiological monitoring and genomic surveillance in the Russian Federation, no new viruses or viruses with significant mutations have been detected."

Gennady Onishchenko of the Russian Academy of Sciences said, as per the Russian news agency TASS, “Most likely, there is no virus there, let’s not hype it up now, but let’s look at the data of at least one study. The most important thing is where this virus is, where these diseases were registered."

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News world Covid-Like ‘Mystery’ Virus Making Russians Cough Up Blood? Moscow Says…