By Elena Teslova
MOSCOW (AA) - Russia on Tuesday registered 780 fatalities from the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, another highest daily figure since the start of the pandemic, bringing the nationwide death toll to 144,492.
Authorities said the recent surge in cases and fatalities in the country is due to the Delta strain, which is considered to be more contagious and difficult to cure.
The country registered 24,702 new cases over the past day, raising the overall count to 5.83 million and active cases to 452,469, Russia's coronavirus emergency task force said in a daily report.
A total of 5.23 million people have recovered from the virus, with 19,566 recoveries over the past 24 hours, the report said.
In June, officials in several Russian regions, including Moscow and its surrounding Moscow Oblast, ordered mandatory vaccination for employees in various sectors and introduced penalties for non-compliance.
Additional measures were announced in Moscow, including restrictions for visiting eateries, entertainment, and sports venues.
More measures were introduced in the capital in July to stem the rise, including mandatory isolation and PCR tests for people suffering from flu-like illnesses.
Officials are preparing reserve capabilities for COVID-19 patients to prevent any crises in the healthcare system. However, a lockdown is seen as the last resort and will be imposed only if other measures do not work.