New COVID-19 cases in Russia up over 10,000 in 24 hrs

MOSCOW - Russia has confirmed 10,102 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, raising its total number of infections to 155,370, its coronavirus response center said in a statement Tuesday.

Single-day increases have been over 10,000 for three consecutive days, the center's data showed.

The death toll from the pandemic increased by 95 to 1,451, while 19,865 people have recovered, including 1,770 over the last 24 hours, the statement said.

Moscow, the country's worst-hit region, confirmed 5,714 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing its total to 80,115.

Russia's consumer rights and human well-being watchdog said in a statement Tuesday that 222,510 people were under medical observation as of Monday.

More than 4.4 million lab tests for COVID-19 have been conducted across the country so far, it added.

All citizens, except those working for essential institutions and establishments, are on paid leave from March 30 till May 11 and are asked to quarantine themselves. They are only permitted to go out to receive medical care, travel to work, shop at the nearest store or pharmacy, or walk a pet.

"It's hard to say whether we are one fourth of the way, one third or half, but for sure we have not yet reached the peak," Sergei Avdeyev, chief pulmonologist of the Russian Health Ministry, said Monday.

The increasing number of infections comes from the refusal of people to stay at home due to the fatigue caused by more than a month of mandatory self-isolation, he said.

In the near future, 44 temporary hospitals with a total capacity of 10,000 beds will be opened in the Russian capital for COVID-19 patients, local media quoted Moscow's deputy mayor Pyotr Biryukov as saying.

Five large venues, including the Moskva mall, the Krasnaya Presnya exhibition complex, some pavilions at the national exhibitions center VDNKh and Sokolniki park, and the Krylatskoye ice arena, will be converted into temporary hospitals.