Moscow: Fresh restrictions were imposed due to the COVID-19 surge across Russia on Saturday with authorities aiming to curb the spread in Europe’s worst-hit country by fatalities.
The government tally on Saturday recorded 40,251 new cases, the highest for new infections since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an effort to put a check on the spread of infection in Russia, President Vladimir Putin has ordered a paid holiday last week from Saturday to November 7.
Russia has stayed away from imposing significant nationwide restrictions and placed its hopes on the rollout of several country-made vaccines, including Sputnik V.
According to government statistics on Saturday, just 32.5 per cent of the population have been fully vaccinated so far despite freely available several jabs for months.
A total of 44,265 people died of COVID-19 in September — nearly double the official government figure. According to news agency Rosstat, deaths in Russia are close to 450,000, the highest in Europe.
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