On March 17, 2020, Bishop Ivan Laptev attended a joint meeting of emergency response centers at the St. Petersburg Governor’s Residence in the Smolny Building to implement coronavirus prevention & control measures in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Oblast.

“As regards consolidating our efforts, there is full understanding, mutual assistance, and reciprocity between the Leningrad Oblast and us,” emphasized Governor Beglov. He noted that the situation in the northern capital is not so tense as in other regions of Russia or in the European countries: “We have 9 persons who have fallen ill, two have recovered and have been discharged from hospital, 1053 persons are under observation.”