The Khabib Nurmagomedov situation sheds light on COVID-19 situation in Dagestan

Khabib Nurmagomedov's father was recently admitted to hospital after falling critically ill, the news has brought attention to the COVID-19 situation in Dagestan.

UFC Lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov hasn't had a smooth 2020. First, he had to pull out of the much anticipated Tony vs Khabib fight at UFC 249 then later news broke about his father becoming critically ill. With recent development, it looks as if the source of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov's illness is the Corona Virus.

Since Abdulmanap, Khabib Nurmagomedov's father, was diagnosed with the illness several fighters and journalists have come out and spoken about the situation in the region. A very recent report pointed out that the situation in Dagestan is going downhill very fast and one of the primary reasons for it was because the region lacks medical infrastructure and resources. The report read, "As mountainous regions make up approximately 55 percent of Dagestan’s entire territory, it is difficult to create social infrastructures such as basic living amenities and roads."

The report also pointed out that the outbreak was already severe and COVID had already claimed 29 lives in the region along with 481 deaths from pneumonia.

In of one the earlier reports, Kamil Gadzhiev, the President of the Fight Nights Global, largest promotion in Dagestan while noting the factors that have contributed to the spread out of the virus said, "Despite the coronavirus, people continue to attend similar events. Family ties are stronger than risks. Up to 1000 people gather for such events. If weddings and birthdays are still somehow filtered, you can not go to them, just give a gift and congratulations, then everyone goes to the funeral. I was at a similar event at the beginning of the epidemic, my friend died in Dagestan. The question was not even to go or not to go. There would be a wedding, I probably would not have gone."

The overall situation in Dagestan has also had some MMA fighters worried. Khabib Nurmagomedov's colleague in the UFC, Muslim Salikhov said the situation was bad and that entire villages were completely shut. He said, " Believe me, there are a lot more infected people. All cities have closed. And Khasavyurt, and Makhachkala, and Kizilyurt, and Buinaksk. We need to do something, a lot of sick people. Local authorities are making efforts, but there are still a lot of patients. Entire villages get sick."

Seeing the situation it isn't surprising that Khabib Nurmagomedov was requesting fans to follow precautions. Turns out multiple relatives of the 31-year-old fighter have tested positive.

We keep Dagestan and Khabib Nurmagomedov in our thoughts as the world deals with this calamity. Let's hope the pandemic passes and we return to whatever the new normal is.