Russia confirmed 7,212 coronavirus infections Friday, the first time in three months that its daily caseload crossed the 7,000 mark.
Overall, the country’s official number of cases has reached 1,136,048, the fourth-highest number of infections in the world.
The last time Russia recorded more than 7,000 new coronavirus infections was on June 25, when the total caseload was around half of the current total.
The highest numbers of new Covid-19 cases were recorded in Moscow (1,560) and St. Petersburg (240), the national coronavirus task force said in its daily update.
Deaths nationwide have also passed the 20,000 mark with 108 fatalities confirmed Friday, the task force said. Separate figures published by Russia’s state statistics agency suggest a much higher number of coronavirus deaths.
Officials have continued to reassure the public that Russia will not go into a full lockdown as it did in spring despite persistent rumors.
Earlier Friday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin ordered elderly residents and those suffering from chronic diseases to stay home and limit contacts starting Monday. He urged the city’s businesses to shift as many employees as possible to remote work to prevent the further spread of Covid-19.
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday told regional leaders that he “really wouldn’t like to return to the restrictive measures we introduced this spring.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
