This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/russia-calls-on-nyt-ft-to-retract-stories-about-virus-toll/2020/05/14/7974def0-95d4-11ea-87a3-22d324235636_story.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_world

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Russia calls on NYT, FT to retract stories about virus toll Russia slams New York Times, Financial Times on virus deaths
(about 3 hours later)
MOSCOW — Russia’s Foreign Ministry has accused the Financial Times and The New York Times of spreading “disinformation” after the two newspapers alleged that Russia’s coronavirus death toll could be much higher than officials are reporting. MOSCOW — Russia’s Foreign Ministry has criticized the Financial Times and The New York Times after they reported that Russia’s coronavirus death toll could be much higher than government officials are saying.
The Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said late Wednesday that letters demanding a retraction would be passed on to the newspapers’ editors-in-chief Thursday. The articles said that they were based on a spike in total mortality rates reported by officials in Moscow, who said the capital registered about 1,800 deaths more in April 2020 than the monthly average.
Both articles are based on a spike in total mortality cases reported by Moscow officials. The capital registered around 1,800 deaths more in April this year than the month’s average. The Financial Times also pointed to a similar spike in deaths reported by St. Petersburg authorities and concluded that Russia could have 70% more coronavirus deaths than it reports. The New York Times reported that total is far higher than the official COVID-19 death count of 642, which the newspaper said was an indication of significant underreporting by the authorities. It quoted Tatiana N. Mikhailova, a senior researcher at the Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration in Moscow, as saying that the number who died from the virus is “possibly almost three times higher than the official toll.”
Russian health officials insisted that the nation’s relatively low coronavirus death toll is explained by a quick ban on travel from China earlier this year, an early introduction of restrictions and tracing of the infected contacts. The scope of testing has been significantly increased in recent weeks, allowing to quickly spot the infections and prevent patients from developing life-threatening complications, officials maintain. The Financial Times pointed to a similar surge in deaths reported by authorities in St. Petersburg, and it concluded that nationwide, Russia could have 70% more coronavirus deaths than it reports.
Russia has reported over 250,000 coronavirus cases on Thursday and 2,305 deaths. The comparatively low death toll raised questions in the West, with some suggesting it could be, in fact, much higher. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova complained about what she called “disinformation” by the two newspapers and said letters demanding a retraction would be passed on to both on Thursday.
The Foreign Ministry also reached out to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, UNESCO and the U.N., saying that the articles the Financial Times and The New York Times ran are “examples of the ‘infodemic,’ which U.N. Secretary General (António) Guterres urged to tackle,” Zakharova said Wednesday. Danielle Ha, vice president for communications for The New York Times, told Russian news agencies the report was accurate because it was based on data released by an official state agency.
Following the Foreign Ministry’s statement, Russian lawmaker Vasily Piskaryov demanded that the accreditation of the reporters from the newspapers be stripped, which would effectively ban them from working in the country. Zakharova said that the measures against the media organizations “will depend on whether they run the retraction.” The Financial Times didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
The New York Times on Thursday stood by its reporting. The organization’s vice president for communications, Danielle Rhoades Ha, told Russian news agencies the report was accurate as it was based on data released by an official state agency. Russia has reported over 250,000 coronavirus cases on Thursday and 2,305 deaths. The comparatively low death toll raised questions in the West, with some critics suggesting it could be much higher.
The Financial Times didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment sent by The Associated Press. The New York Times reported that Russia’s mortality rate of only about 13 deaths per million was far below the world average of 36.
Moscow’s health department rejected the allegations of undercounting coronavirus deaths on Wednesday. Officials said in a statement that autopsies are being conducted in 100% of suspected coronavirus deaths. Russian health officials insisted that the relatively low coronavirus death toll is due to its instituting a quick ban on travel from neighboring China earlier this year, an early introduction of restrictions and tracing of the infected contacts. U.S. President Donald Trump has cited a similar travel ban for his efforts to combat the virus.
Russian officials also have said the scope of testing has been significantly increased in recent weeks, allowing for officials to spot the infections quickly and prevent patients from developing life-threatening complications.
Following the Foreign Ministry statement, lawmaker Vasily Piskaryov demanded that reporters from the newspapers be stripped of their accreditation, effectively banning them from working in the country.
Zakharova said measures against the media organizations “will depend on whether they run the retraction.”
Last month, Russian lawmakers approved fines of up to $25,000 and prison terms of up to five years for anyone who spreads what is deemed to be false information during the outbreak. Under the measure, media outlets could be fined up to $127,000 for disseminating disinformation about the virus.
On Wednesday, Moscow’s health department rejected the allegations of undercounting coronavirus deaths. Officials said autopsies are being conducted in all suspected coronavirus deaths.
“That’s why post-mortem diagnoses in Moscow and causes of death, in the end, are exceedingly accurate, and the mortality data absolutely transparent,” the statement said.“That’s why post-mortem diagnoses in Moscow and causes of death, in the end, are exceedingly accurate, and the mortality data absolutely transparent,” the statement said.
More than 60% of deaths of people with coronavirus in Moscow were ascribed to other causes, such as cardiovascular events, terminal cancers, systemic diseases involving organ failures and other incurable fatal diseases, according to the statement. More than 60% of deaths of people with coronavirus in Moscow were ascribed to other causes, such as cardiovascular ailments, cancer, diseases involving organ failures and other illnesses, according to the statement.
Guidelines on reporting coronavirus deaths, issued by the World Health Organization in mid-April, state that “deaths due to COVID-19” should be considered as such “unless there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be related to COVID disease.”Guidelines on reporting coronavirus deaths, issued by the World Health Organization in mid-April, state that “deaths due to COVID-19” should be considered as such “unless there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be related to COVID disease.”
“The primary goal is to identify all deaths due to COVID-19,” the document says.
______
Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreakFollow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.