Russia tops 1,000 daily virus deaths for first time

MOSCOW: Russia on Saturday recorded 1,000 deaths over 24 hours for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with the country’s jab drive at a standstill and few restrictions in place.

An official government tally showed 1,002 deaths and 33,208 new infections, setting a high for both fatalities and cases for the third day in a row.

The surge comes with just 32 percent of Russians fully inoculated, according to official statistics published for the first time Saturday.

A lack of tough restrictions has allowed the virus to spread unchecked, though a number of regions have re-introduced QR codes for access to public places. Authorities have blamed Russians for the growing outbreak.