The Russian army is assisting Polyus fight the Covid-19 outbreak at its Olimpiada gold mine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the army to send military staff and medical equipment to help the country’s largest gold miner, Polyus, fight the Covid-19 outbreak at its Siberian unit.
Personnel and more than 2 tons of medical equipment, including respirators, masks, gloves and protective suits, were delivered by aircraft to the city of Krasnoyarsk, the defense ministry said on its website.
The equipment is being transferred near the Olimpiada gold mine, the biggest in Russia.
Polyus earlier this month confirmed the first coronavirus cases at Olimpiada, with infections breaching 300 since then. The mine, which employs more than 3 400 people, including some accommodated in shift camps, has proven and probable reserves of 26-million ounces of gold. Olimpiada is operating, but the company didn’t comment further.
The army specialists will organise a field camp and mobile hospital. As many as 200 military staff, including 77 doctors and nurses, are being sent to the outbreak area, the ministry said.
The Krasnoyarsk regional government has already organized a camp with 200 beds at the site, Governor Alexander Uss said on Friday. He’s visiting the affected area today, he said on Instagram.