* Moscow orders partial lockdown from Monday
* Quarantine measures are toughest yet
* Number of cases in Russian capital exceeds 1,000
* Mayor says residents ignored his earlier advice
(Recasts, adds further detail, Mayor's quotes, poll)
By Maria Kiselyova
MOSCOW, March 29 (Reuters) - Authorities in the Russian
capital announced a partial lockdown, ordering residents to stay
at home from Monday in their toughest move yet to slow the
spread of coronavirus after the number of official cases in
Moscow passed the 1,000 mark.
The order came days after Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a
close ally of President Vladimir Putin, urged Muscovites to
avoid public places, non-essential travel and walks - a
recommendation many ignored amid a spell of unusually warm
weather over the weekend.
"It is obvious that not everyone heard us," Sobyanin wrote
on his website as he announced the tighter quarantine measures,
warning the authorities would steadily tighten control over
compliance with the new rules.
Muscovites will only be allowed to go out to buy food or
medicines at their nearest shop, get urgent medical treatment,
walk the dog, or take out the bins, he said.
Those needing to go to work would also be allowed to leave
their homes, he said, adding that authorities would introduce a
system of access passes allowing people to move around the city
in the coming days.
"An extremely negative turn of events that we see in the
largest cities in Europe and the United States causes great
concern for the life and health of our citizens," Sobyanin said.
SCEPTICISM ABOUT OFFICIAL DATA
Russia has so far got off more lightly than many European
countries with nine deaths and 1,534 cases, more than 1,000 of
which are in Moscow. Russia recorded 270 new coronavirus
infections in the past day.
But some doctors have voiced skepticism about the accuracy
of the figures given what they say has been the patchy nature
and quality of testing, allegations that the authorities deny.
According to a survey by the Levada Center, only 16% of
Russians fully trust official information about the coronavirus,
while 24% said they did not trust it at all.
Russia has halted international flights, closed its borders,
announced a non-working week from this weekend, and shuttered
shops and entertainment venues in Moscow and some other regions.
The head of Russia's Orthodox Church on Sunday exhorted
believers to pray at home, urging people to adhere strictly to
authorities' instructions "before someone dies in our families."
"Refrain from visiting churches," Patriarch Kirill said,
even though Orthodox services went ahead, including one led by
him. Mosques in Muslim majority Chechnya canceled Friday
prayers, Russian news agencies reported.
About 60% of Russia's 144 million people consider themselves
Orthodox Christians. But fewer than usual went to church on
Sunday and some were wearing masks, according to media reports.
(Additional reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber and Gleb
Stolyarov; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Daniel Wallis)
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