Virus deaths in Russia hit record for third time this month

By DARIA LITVINOVA
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Coronavirus deaths in Russia have hit a record for the third time this month. And new infections once again exceeded 25,000 a day in a surge that comes as vaccination rates in the country remain stagnant. The government has also shunned imposing tough restrictions to stem the spread. Russia’s state coronavirus task force reported 25,110 new confirmed cases on Tuesday and 895 new deaths. That’s the highest daily death toll in the pandemic. Officials have blamed the low vaccine uptake. Only 33% of Russia’s 146 million people had received at least one shot of a coronavirus vaccine as of Tuesday. And just 29% have been fully vaccinated. The Kremlin has said that it isn’t considering a countrywide lockdown or any other nationwide measures despite the surge.