Russia reports new record daily rise in coronavirus cases

Grave diggers carry a coffin while burying a coronavirus victim in a graveyard on the outskirts of Saint Petersburg. Photo: Anton Vaganov/Reuters.
Authorities say 88 people died in the past 24 hours.

Russia on Thursday reported 11,231 new cases of the novel coronavirus, a record daily rise that pushed the national case total to 177,160.

Russia's coronavirus taskforce said 88 people had died overnight, bringing the coronavirus death toll to 1,625.

Moscow, the worst-hit area, also reported a record overnight case increase of 6,703 new cases.

Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said on Wednesday that the case total was rising in the capital because the amount of testing had been stepped up.