Daily recoveries exceed new virus cases in Russia

MOSCOW

Russia reported more recoveries than new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.

Over the past 24 hours, 8,536 were tested positive for COVID-19, taking the tally to 432,277, while recoveries reached 195,957, including 8,972 registered since yesterday, the country's emergency team said in a daily report.

A total of 178 more fatalities pushed the death toll up to 5,215.

Russia, still third among countries with most COVID-19 cases, started gradually easing restrictions last week, as the government said the situation had stabilized and shifted focus onto economic recovery.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced a three-phase plan to overcome the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, which has now claimed over 380,300 lives in 188 countries and regions.

It aims to stabilize the situation by the end of this year’s third quarter, completely restore the economy by the second quarter of 2021, and achieve sustainable long-term economic growth by the third and final phase.

The government has yet to decide on resumption of travel and tourism, with both international air and railway traffic still suspended and borders closed to foreigners.

Two top Russian officials are being treated for the coronavirus, while four others, including Mishustin, have recovered.

Over 6.38 million COVID-19 cases have now been reported in 188 countries and regions since the virus emerged in China last December.

The US, Brazil, and Russia, the world’s worst-hit countries, account for more than 2.8 million of these infections.

Over 2.73 million people have recovered from the disease worldwide, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.