Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has urged the country's authorities to close the border with Russia and ban Russian citizens from entering. He outlined his position on Facebook from custody, commenting on reports regarding the death of an employee at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute.
According to the Ministry of Health for 2024, the incidence of HIV in Russia varies significantly depending on the region. The lowest rates were recorded in Chechnya (4.9 cases per 100 thousand population), Ingushetia (8.2) and Moscow (11.3).
Other regions of the North Caucasus also have low incidence rates, significantly lower than the Russian average of 33.1 per 100 thousand: Stavropol Krai - 18.3, Kabardino-Balkaria - 17.4, North Ossetia - 16.1, Karachay-Cherkessia - 13.2, Dagestan - 11.8.
At the other end of the rating is Chukotka (79.1 cases per 100 thousand population), leading in the number of new cases of HIV infection. The regions with high incidence rates also include the Irkutsk and Samara regions, the Altai Territory and the Kemerovo Region.