COVID-19Top StoryWorld

Russia coronavirus deaths hit new record

Russia

Russia still has a vaccination rate that is far behind the rest of the developed world, with many people still believing in the antibody tests that have proved inconclusive at best. Russia already has Europe’s highest death toll in the pandemic — more than 214,000 — and European authorities believe the number to be even higher. The Associated Press has the story:

The Russian government’s task force reported 27,246 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s daily coronavirus death toll hit a new record on Friday amid the country’s sluggish vaccination rate and the government’s reluctance to tighten restrictions.

FILE – In this Tuesday, July 13, 2021 file photo, a medical worker prepares an injection of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine at a vaccination center in Gostiny Dvor a huge exhibition place in Moscow, Russia. The World Health Organization is still reviewing data about Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine as part of hopes that it can be approved by the U.N. health agency for emergency use against coronavirus, but said Tuesday, Oct. 5 that no decision is imminent.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

Russia’s state coronavirus task force reported 936 new deaths on Friday, the highest daily number since the start of the pandemic. It was a third straight day when daily COVID-19 deaths topped 900.

Russia already has Europe’s highest death toll in the pandemic — more than 214,000 — and the authorities’ conservative way of recording COVID-19 fatalities suggests the actual number could be even higher.

On Friday, the government’s task force reported 27,246 new confirmed cases, just slightly less than Thursday’s number of 27,550, which was the highest so far this year.

A steep rise in infections and deaths began in late September, with authorities blaming it on the low vaccination rate. As of Tuesday, almost 33% of Russia’s 146 million people had received at least one shot of a coronavirus vaccine, and 29% were fully vaccinated.

But the Kremlin has shrugged off the idea of imposing a new nationwide lockdown, delegating the power to tighten restrictions to regional authorities.

FILE – In this Aug. 6, 2020, file photo provided by Russian Direct Investment Fund, a COVID-19 vaccine is on display at the Nikolai Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, Russia. The World Health Organization is still reviewing data about Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine as part of hopes that it can be approved by the U.N. health agency for emergency use against coronavirus, but said Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021 that no decision is imminent. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/ Russian Direct Investment Fund via AP, File)

In some areas of the country, including Moscow and St. Petersburg, life remains largely normal, with businesses operating as usual and mask mandates loosely enforced.

Some regions have limited attendance at large public events and restricted access to theaters, restaurants and other places to people who have been vaccinated, recently recovered from COVID-19 or tested negative in the previous 72 hours. Critics argue, however, that these measures aren’t enough to stem the surge.

In some areas, Russia’s massive yet severely underfunded health care system has started to show signs of being overwhelmed by the outbreak.

Overall, Russia’s coronavirus task force has registered over 7.7 million confirmed cases and 214,485 deaths. However, reports by Russia’s state statistical service Rosstat that tally coronavirus-linked deaths retroactively reveal significantly higher mortality numbers.

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

For more COVID-19 news

Previous Article
Beleaguered FDA can’t get new chief soon enough
Next Article
Kishida vows to fix Japan with ‘trust and empathy’

How useful was this article?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 0 / 5. Vote count: 0

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this article.

Latest News

Menu