Russia sees record rise in cases and deaths but 'no reason' for lockdown
Russia confirmed 13,868 new cases of COVID-19 and 244 deaths over the past 24 hours, setting new records for its daily tallies of both infections and fatalities.
It's the third straight day that Russia has registered over 13,000 new cases. The country's previous record of 13,634 new cases was set over the weekend. Meanwhile, the latest single-day death toll shatters the previous record of 232 deaths, which was set at the end of May.
The cumulative totals now stand at 1,312,310 confirmed cases and 22,727 deaths, according to Russia’s coronavirus response headquarters.
Russian authorities have said there's no immediate plan to impose a second nationwide lockdown, even as the country's outbreak grows after most coronavirus-related restrictions were lifted over the summer.
"In spite of the fact that we are seeing growing numbers, today in the Russian Federation we are not talking about blocking the economy, halting any activities, enterprises or any sectors of the economy because we see no reason for that today" Anna Popova, head of Russian consumer watchdog Rospotrebnazor, told reporters Tuesday.
But officials in Moscow, the epicenter of the country's COVID-19 outbreak, have recommended that the elderly self-isolate at home and also encouraged businesses to have at least one-third of their employees work from home. School holidays in the capital this month were extended from one to two weeks.
More than 33% of the newly confirmed cases -- 4,618 -- and nearly 24% of the newly reported deaths -- 58 -- were registered in the capital. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has said that this week will be "largely decisive" in the fight against the city's outbreak.
ABC News' Alina Lobzina contributed to this report.