Moscow, June 18

Confirmed Covid-19 cases in Moscow hit a daily record Friday and increased nearly 30 per cent from the day before.

Authorities reported 9,056 new cases in Russia’s capital, the city’s highest daily surge since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

In all of Russia, 17,262 new infections were registered on Friday, the highest daily tally since early February.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said this week that Moscow was seeing the effects of new virus variant that is “more aggressive, more difficult to tolerate, spreads faster”.                

In response to the soaring case numbers, Moscow authorities imposed an 11 pm curfew on bars and restaurants and made Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for individuals working in retail, education, health care, public transportation and other trades that provide services to a large number of people.

On Friday, Sobyanin extended the bar and restaurant curfew until the end of the month and temporarily banned entertainment events with more than 1,000 spectators.

The mayor also announced that a dozen restaurants in Moscow will become “coronavirus-free” by only allowing in vaccinated customers. AP