Russia nears 300,000 Covid-19 infections and exceeds 2,800 deaths
Moscow, May 19 (efe-epa).- Russia neared 300,000 confirmed Covid-19 infections on Tuesday with deaths from the coronavirus pandemic exceeding 2,800.
Authorities reported 9,263 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 299,941 people in the country.
New infections were detected in 83 of the country’s 85 regions, according to data from a crisis cabinet that manages the effects of the outbreak in Russia.
There were also 115 coronavirus fatalities recorded in the last day, bringing the official death toll to 2,837.
Moscow continued to be the epicentre of infection in Russia, with almost half of the cases in the capital city and 3,545 diagnosed in one day.
It was the fourth day in a row that authorities reported less than 10,000 infections throughout the country in a day.
Russia, home to 144 million people, has been the second-worst country in the world after the United States.
The number of people who have recovered from the infection in Russia was more than 76,100, including almost 31,500 patients who have been discharged from hospitals in Moscow.
Authorities have said that the country has succeeded in slowing down the advance of Covid-19 and stabilising the situation in many regions.
A number of senior officials within the Russian government have also tested positive for the virus, including Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who became ill in late April and temporarily handed over his duties to Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov.
Mishustin continued to hold videoconference meetings with members of his cabinet from hospital.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Tuesday allowing him to formally resume his post as head of the government.
Some regions in the country gradually began to partially lift restrictions last week to reactivate their economies.
Authorities in the capital have prolonged the quarantine for residents until at least the end of the month, although they did allow around 500,000 people in construction and industry sectors to return to work.
The Moscow mayor’s office reported on Tuesday that 99 per cent of the city’s industrial companies have reactivated their work since 12 May. EFE-EPA
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