Russia sets new record daily COVID death toll

Russia is battling a severe third wave of COVID-19, driven by the highly infectious Delta variant.

Russia reported 752 coronavirus deaths on Saturday, a national record of pandemic-related fatalities over a 24-hour period, as the country battles a third wave of the coronavirus. Russia has now set seven new pandemic highs for coronavirus deaths in the last 12 days as it fights a surging outbreak driven by the highly infectious Delta variant and a sluggish vaccination campaign. The country’s official virus caseload passed 5.75 million on Saturday, making it the fifth-worst-hit nation worldwide, according to an AFP news agency tally.