Officials in the Far Eastern city of Blagoveshchensk, situated near the Chinese border, announced on Wednesday the implementation of a two-week mask requirement due to a significant rise in respiratory illnesses in the region.

The government of the Amur region declared that the citywide mask mandate will begin on Thursday and last until December 19. Additionally, all large gatherings involving children will be prohibited during this time frame.

“The aim of these measures is to reduce interactions among children and avert widespread outbreaks,” the regional authorities stated in their announcement.

Authorities mentioned that businesses must ensure their employees wear masks, maintain adequate ventilation, install air purifiers with disinfecting capabilities, and send home any staff displaying symptoms of respiratory illness.

The decision for the mask mandate follows a report from health officials on Monday indicating a 74% increase in flu cases in the Amur region compared to the previous week. Federal authorities noted that this surge aligns with the usual seasonal uptick in respiratory viral infections, including common strains of the flu.

Mask mandates were enforced globally during the Covid-19 pandemic, and some regions in Russia are still referring to these pandemic-related restrictions to limit protests and other public activities.

On Wednesday, Valery Fadeyev, the head of Russia’s presidential human rights council, described the ongoing adherence to pandemic restrictions as “ridiculous.”