In the past 24 hours, Russia has confirmed 9 803 cases of COVID-19 and 460 deaths due to a disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The total case count going up to 4 428 239 and 93 824 deaths, the anti-coronavirus crisis center informed.
- Russia has extended its suspension of flights with Britain until April 16, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.
- Russia has accused the United States of targeting its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine by pressuring Brazil to reject it, the jab's developer said Monday.
- A more contagious strain of the coronavirus first discovered in South Africa has been detected in Russia, the country’s health authorities said Tuesday. Two people have been found to have the variant out of over 8 000 tests.
- Sputnik V developers announced Monday that they had reached production agreements in key European countries, including Italy, Spain, France and Germany.
- Russia has secured an agreement to produce its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in Italy, marking the first such deal for producing the vaccine in Europe, Bloomberg reported.
- Since the start of the pandemic until the end of January — the latest such data is available — Russia has now recorded 394 000 more deaths than in the previous period. That represents a 24% increase in fatality and one of the highest excess death tolls in the world, even after adjusting for population.
Rosstat said Covid-19 was the main cause of death in 26 292 fatalities during January. In another 10 815 deaths that aren’t counted toward Russia’s official total, the virus was present, but not deemed the main cause.
- All but nine Russian regions have begun administering coronavirus vaccines nearly two months into the country's nationwide vaccination campaign, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.
Russia, the world’s fourth-most affected country by Covid-19, launched the campaign in mid-January with senior officials forecasting 60% herd immunity as early as August.
