Russia has reported more than 1,000 daily COVID-related deaths for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
An official government tally on Saturday reported 1,002 deaths and 33,208 new infections.
The source pointed out to a pandemic high for both fatalities and cases for the third day in a row.
According to the source, the lack of tough restrictions has allowed the coronavirus to spread.
The new record came while the country suffers lagging vaccination rates.
However, the authorities refused to impose a new national lockdown.
Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said 11 percent of Russia’s 235,000 hospitalised COVID-19 patients were in serious or critical condition.
Overall, Russia’s coronavirus task force has registered more than 7.8 million confirmed cases and 218,345 deaths. The numbers are the highest death toll in Europe.
Yet the state statistics agency Rosstat has reported a much higher total – about 418,000 deaths of people with COVID-19.
Russia has blamed the sharp rise in infections and deaths that began last month on a slow vaccination rate.
Only 47.8 million Russians, or almost 33 percent of its nearly 146 million people, have received at least one shot of a coronavirus vaccine.
Speaking at a meeting with newly-elected Russian lawmakers, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasised on Tuesday the importance of broad vaccination and urged lawmakers to help encourage the population to get the shots.
“We must patiently and persistently work with people and explain all the advantages of prophylactics against that dangerous disease,” Putin said, noting that the population must be persuaded to get the shots without resorting to administrative pressure.
