On January 8, 2020 Prime Minister of Abkhazia A.Z. Ankvab was hospitalized at the Federal Research and Clinical Center of the FMBA of Russia with coronavirus infection, bilateral polysegmental pneumonia, signs of severe respiratory failure and drug hepatitis. He underwent selective plasma filtration.

The respiratory failure began to grow again after some improvement of Alexander Ankvab's condition. On January 17, by decision of a council consisting of specialists from various medical centers of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, there was made a decision to transfer him to mechanical ventilation.