Aeroflot has suspended ticket sales for all international flights departing before August, as Russia’s coronavirus cases continue to rise at one of the fastest rates in the world.

A message on the ticket search portal of Aeroflot’s website says there are no available flights for any international routes until August 1. The state-backed airline said the block on ticket sales would remain in place until there was more clarity about when Russia would lift its nationwide ban on international air travel.

Russia blocked all international flights on March 27, at the same time a non-working period was introduced across the country and Moscow announced a mandatory self-isolation regime in the first serious escalation of the country’s steps to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Since then, Aeroflot has operated only a number of emergency flights to repatriate Russian citizens stuck abroad.

Pobeda, the low cost subsidiary of state-backed Aeroflot has suspended all flights until the end of May. Aeroflot said the decision did not mean flights would be cancelled until August 1, but was a “technical” step to avoid having to continually cancel and rebook tickets for passengers while it remains unclear when international travel will resume.