Russia registered 320 more deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, setting a new national record, according to the country’s coronavirus response headquarters.
The country’s previous record of 317 deaths in a 24-hour reporting period was set less than a week ago.
An additional 16,550 new cases of COVID-19 were also confirmed in the past day, down from a peak of 17,347 the day prior, according to Russia’s coronavirus response headquarters.
Moscow remains the epicenter of the country’s outbreak and recent surge. More than 26% of the new cases — 4,312 — and over 19% of the new deaths — 61 — were reported in the capital.
The nationwide, cumulative total now stands at 1,547,774 cases with 26,589 deaths, according to Russia’s coronavirus response headquarters.
After record increases in new infections and deaths, Russia’s health and consumer rights regulator, Rospotrebnadzor, issued a decree on Tuesday introducing a nationwide mask mandate and ordering all clubs, bars, restaurants and other entertainment venues to be closed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Russian authorities have repeatedly said they will not impose another nationwide lockdown.
The Eastern European country of 145 million people has the fourth-highest tally of COVID-19 cases in the world, behind only the United States, India and Brazil, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
