Covid-19 batters Russia as daily cases soar; Moscow hard hit

More than half of the new infections are in Moscow, where cases have tripled this month. The soaring case count has caused alarm among officials, who have increased measures to obstruct the spread.

Russia's national coronavirus taskforce on Saturday reported 17,906 new infections, more than double the daily tally from early June.

Swiss police officers patrol near temporary security fencing along the waterfront near Villa La Grange before of the U.S. Russia summit at Villa La Grange in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. (Bloomberg)

More than half of the new infections are in Moscow, where cases have tripled this month. The soaring case count has caused alarm among officials, who have increased measures to obstruct the spread.

Moscow, its outlying area and two other Russian regions this week ordered mandatory vaccinations for workers in retail, education and other service sectors. Moscow has closed food courts in shopping centers and restricted restaurants and bars in the capital to takeout orders from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Russians are widely resistant to vaccinations and only about 12% of the population has received a shot. Nearly 5.3 million cases have been reported in the country of 146 million, with 128,911 deaths, but experts consider both numbers undercounts.