Don't panic over coronavirus, you’ll die anyway: Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov tells people

Grozny: Amid growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 7,000 people worldwide, Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov has urged his people not to panic over the deadly virus and stay calm as everyone will eventually die. Kadyrov also urged people not to shun traditional medicine and worry less about what is beyond their control.

“People lose sleep because a disease appeared in China: the virus," Kadyrov said, addressing a local government meeting on Saturday, according to RT.com. 

"They are afraid that it comes [to them] and they’ll die. Don’t be in a rush, you’ll die anyway. Don’t try to die before your time," he added.

Kadyrov, the long-time head of his majority Muslim Republic, said this while referring to the rising number of deaths due coronavirus, which has been declared a “pandemic’’ by the WHO recently.

The Chechen leader further argued that the fears over the disease that manifests itself with flu-like symptoms have been blown out of proportion and called on the people to come to their senses and stop overthinking the problem.

Kadyrov, while acknowledging that the rapid spread of COVID-19 has been the talk of the town, said that other diseases like the ordinary flu keep claiming thousands of lives every year.

The Chechen leader also recommended people to take good care about their health and work on strengthening their immune system using traditional means.

“Mix lemon with honey and water and drink – then the virus won’t get you. Eat your garlic,” he noted. 

So far, not a single case of coronavirus infection has been reported in Chechnya, which has a population of over 1.3 million.

It is to be noted that the deadly virus has infected at least 59 people across Russia, most of them - Moscow -  in its capital.