MOSCOW

Russia registered a record number of daily coronavirus fatalities for the third straight day on Thursday, as 791 people died over the past day, taking the death toll to 146,069.

The rise in cases remains high as well with 25,293 people infected since Wednesday.

Some 5.88 million people have caught the virus so far while there are 457,250 active cases, Russia's coronavirus emergency task force said in a daily report.

Over the same period 21,493 people convalesced, taking recoveries to 5.27 million.

Meanwhile, the situation in Moscow is gradually improving. Its share in active cases decreased from about a half to about a third, with 166,406 patients currently being treated for COVID-19 in the capital.

Over the last 24 hours 5,237 new infections, 101 deaths, and 7,855 recoveries were recorded in Moscow.

The authorities explain the recent surge in cases and fatalities by the spread of the Delta variant of coronavirus, which is considered to be more contagious and difficult to cure.

In June, officials in several Russian regions, including Moscow and its surrounding Moscow Oblast, ordered mandatory vaccination of several groups of employees, introducing penalties for non-compliance.

Additional measures were announced in Moscow, including restrictions for visiting eateries, entertainment, and sports venues.

More measures were introduced in the capital in July to stem the rise, including mandatory isolation and PCR tests for people suffering from flu-like illnesses to break the chain of infection.

Officials are preparing reserve capabilities for COVID-19 patients to prevent any crises in the healthcare system, however, a lockdown is seen as the last resort, and will be introduced only if other efforts do not work.