MOSCOW, May 16 (NNN-XINHUA) – Russia confirmed 10,598 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, raising its total to 262,843, according to a statement released by the country’s COVID-19 response centre on Friday.
The death toll grew by 113 to 2,418, while 58,226 people have now recovered, including 4,696 over the last 24 hours, the statement said.
Moscow, the country’s worst-hit region, confirmed 4,748 new cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total to 135,464.
Russia’s consumer rights and human well-being watchdog announced that, 256,847 people were under medical observation as of Thursday.
Over 6.4 million lab tests for COVID-19 have been conducted across the country so far, it added.
Moscow Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said that, mass testing for COVID-19 antibodies began yesterday (Friday), in the capital city.
The programme will start with up to 70,000 tests a week and will expand to over 200,000 a day by the end of May, Sobyanin said, adding that the results will be a factor when it comes to easing restrictions.
Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education, Valery Falkov and Culture Minister, Olga Lyubimova, have now recovered from the virus.
Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin, and Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, remain hospitalised with COVID-19, while Construction Minister, Vladimir Yakushev, is undergoing treatment at home.– NNN-XINHUA
