Coronavirus is spreading rapidly in Belarus, but its leader still denies there is a problem

MOSCOW — The suspicion is that the infection began its spread at the Vesnova Children’s Institution over Orthodox Easter last month in Belarus, where the country’s leader has refused to impose major restrictions against the coronavirus pandemic.

It was around then that a staff member started a chain reaction at Vesnova, a residential facility for 174 special needs children and young adults. A week later, 23 children and 12 staff members had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Similar clusters flared across the country.