Coronavirus in Russia: The latest news. April 26

Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic's spread within its borders. There have been 74 588 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 681 deaths.

- Russia confirmed 5 966 new coronavirus infections Saturday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 74 588. Overall, 615 people have been killed by the virus.

- Moscow authorities will not ease the city's self-isolation orders during the May holidays which include Labor Day and Victory Day, the mayor's office said. Meanwhile, the head of Russia’s consumer health watchdog argued self-isolation should be extended by at least another two weeks, until the middle of May.

- Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said he has asked Russia's Health Ministry and Education Ministry to prepare fourth- and fifth-year medical students to help treat coronavirus patients.

- Authorities in Russia's western exclave of Kaliningrad will end the region's coronavirus lockdown for most residents starting April 29, Governor Anton Alikhanov said, making it the first Russian region to do so. Nonessential businesses will re-open on April 29 and salons and hairdressers will re-open on May 4. All residents will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing in public.

- More than 40% of Moscow's health system is now being used in the city's fight against coronavirus, deputy mayor for social development Anastasia Rakova said.

- All of Moscow's doctors and nurses will take an express test to detect the presence of coronavirus antibodies and test their immunity to the virus, Rakova told reporters.