Russia sees 100+ COVID-19 deaths for 4th day in row

MOSCOW 

Russia on Friday reported more than 100 deaths from coronavirus for the fourth day in a row.

Over the last 24 hours, 150 fatalities were registered in the country, bringing the death toll to 3,249, the country's emergency task force said in a daily report.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases rose to 326,448 after 8,894 people tested positive for COVID-19.

Since yesterday 7,144 people were discharged from hospitals for recovery, raising the number of recoveries to 99,825, while more than 277,000 stay under medical surveillance with suspected infections.

Russia continues mass testing for COVID-19 aiming to detect the disease at early stages when it is less contagious, with as many as 8.1 million tests carried out to date.

Despite strict measures, including a lockdown on the capital Moscow, a ban on entry by foreigners, and suspension of international air and railway traffic, Russia is the second-worst coronavirus-hit country in terms of the number of cases.

Three top Russian officials, including Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, are being treated in hospital for coronavirus, while three more were earlier discharged.

The pandemic has claimed more than 333,000 lives in 188 countries and regions since originating in China last December. The US and Europe are currently the world’s worst-hit regions.

More than 5.1 million cases have been reported worldwide and 1.9 million people have recovered to date, according to figures compiled by the US’ Johns Hopkins University.