Russia tallies record 9,623 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hrs

MOSCOW - Russia has reported a daily record of 9,623 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, raising the total number of infections to 124,054 as of Saturday, the country's coronavirus response center said in a statement.

The death toll from the pandemic increased by 57 to 1,222, while 15,013 people have recovered, including 1,793 over the last 24 hours, the statement said.

Moscow, the country's worst-hit region, confirmed 5,358 new cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total to 62,658.

Results of screening among various population groups indicated that about two percent of Moscow's total residents may have been infected with COVID-19, the city's mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on his personal website Saturday.

According to official statistics, 12.68 million people were living in the Russian capital in January.

The volume of rapid tests for COVID-19 antibodies has increased 10 times over the past week, Sobyanin said.

After Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, President Vladimir Putin has ordered First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov to temporarily perform Mishustin's duties.

The Russian Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities said Friday that its minister Vladimir Yakushev and deputy minister Dmitry Volkov have tested positive for the coronavirus.