Moscow to close all stores except grocery, pharmacies for a week

Medical staff members wearing protective suits work at the special unit of the Sklifosovsky Institute for the patients who are suspected to have contracted COVID-19, caused by the coronavirus, in Moscow

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Moscow will close all shops except for pharmacies and grocery stores, the city's mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Thursday.

This measure, which also includes the closure of restaurants, cafes and bars, will last from March 28 until April 5, Sobyanin said in a statement.

(Reporting Maria Kiselyova; writing by Anton Kolodyazhnyy; Editing by Jon Boyle)