MOSCOW — Russia on Saturday reported 697 coronavirus-related deaths, the most confirmed in a single day since the pandemic began and the fifth day in a row it has set that record.
The government coronavirus taskforce confirmed 24,439 new coronavirus cases nationwide, the most it has reported since January. Officials blame the surge on the infectious Delta variant and tepid demand for vaccinations.
Moscow, the worst-hit region throughout Russia’s pandemic, accounted for 7,446 of Saturday’s new cases. But its mayor told residents the rate of vaccinations was picking up and that more than 2.7 million people had received at least one vaccine dose.
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Keep on reading: Russia’s COVID-19 death toll hits record high for fifth day