Russia's coronavirus cases surpass 537,000

AKIPRESS.COM - Russia confirmed 8,246 new coronavirus infections Monday, bringing the country's official number of cases to 537,210. Over the past 24 hours 143 people have died, bringing the total toll to 7,091 - a rate considerably lower than in many other countries hit hard by the pandemic.
A total of 4,489 people recovered over the last 24 hours, bringing the overall number of recoveries to 284,539.
Moscow lifted restrictions including compulsory travel passes on Tuesday, a move welcomed by residents who rushed out to enjoy the streets and parks.
Many other regions are lifting lockdown restrictions as Russia is preparing to hold a July 1 national vote despite the pandemic.
President Vladimir Putin is seeking public backing for constitutional amendments that would allow him to stay on at the Kremlin beyond his current term.
Critics have cast doubt on Russia's low official mortality rate and accused authorities of under-reporting to play down the scale of the crisis.
Russia attributes its lower virus death figures to mass testing which has identified many cases with mild or no coronavirus symptoms.