Russia reports highest daily COVID-19 deaths

MOSCOW

Russia on Tuesday reported 491 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, the highest single-day rise in fatalities since the start of the pandemic, bringing the death toll to 37,031.

As many as 467 people had died on Nov. 21, the highest figure till then.

The daily growth in coronavirus cases was up by 24,326, increasing the overall count to more than 2.13 million, the country's emergency task force said in a daily report.

Recoveries went up by 23,226 over the last 24 hours to reach 1.6 million, while 467,126 virus patients are being treated in the country.

Russia's overall case tally is the fifth highest in the world, behind the US, India, Brazil, and France.

Despite a recent surge, authorities have resisted imposing lockdown restrictions as they did earlier this year. Separate measures in different regions, however, are in place.

The country has carried out 73.3 million tests since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said Russia will start mass vaccination against the novel virus in 2021. The Sputnik V vaccine is claimed to be 92% effective in protecting people from COVID-19 in interim trials.