Russia reported more than 800 coronavirus deaths for the first time since the start of the pandemic Thursday, following four record-tying fatalities in recent weeks.
Russia’s Covid-19 task force said that 808 people died Thursday.
The last pandemic mortality record of 799 deaths was recorded on four separate days in mid-July and early August, including Wednesday.
The country’s total death toll of 168,049 is the sixth-highest in the world, but experts say the true figure is likely higher.
Russia’s excess fatality toll since the start of the pandemic stood at above 531,000 as of June, the latest month for which data is available, according to The Moscow Times' analysis. That is one of the highest figures in the world, both in absolute terms and adjusted for population size.
The Covid-19 task force also reported 21,932 new Covid-19 cases Thursday, with Delta variant-driven cases starting to stabilize in mid-July.
Russia has the world's fourth-highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases at more than 6.5 million.
The country has grappled with a stuttering vaccination campaign despite offering four domestically made vaccines at no cost and several regions introducing mandatory vaccinations for public-facing workers. Just 19.7% of the population has received two vaccine doses as of Thursday, according to independent monitors.
