India reported more than 8000 new cases of the coronavirus in a single day, another record high that topped the deadliest week in the country.
Confirmed infections have risen to 182,143, with 5164 fatalities, including 193 in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said Sunday.
Russia has recorded nearly 9000 new cases of the coronavirus, roughly consistent with the increases reported over the past two weeks.
The national coronavirus task force said Saturday that 4555 Russians have died of COVID-19 and 396,575 infections have been confirmed overall.
A man wears a face mask to protect against coronavirus this week in St Petersburg, Russia. (Source: Associated Press)
The relatively low mortality rate compared with other countries has prompted scepticism domestically and abroad.
In a bid to dispel suspicions that authorities are trying to lower the death toll for political reasons, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova explained Friday that Russia’s count contains only those confirmed to have died of the infection, but she also gave figures for people who tested positive for the virus but died of other causes.
If all categories are counted as COVID-19 deaths, the nation’s total toll for April would stand at 2713, or nearly 60 per cent more than the previously announced number.
– Reported with Associated Press
