Russia, Battling Delta Variant, Sees Record Covid Deaths For Fourth Straight Day

COVID-19: Russia, the fifth worst-hit country in the world, has the highest official death count due to Coronavirus in Europe -- 136,565.

Russia on Friday reported 679 coronavirus deaths, a record number of pandemic-related fatalities over a 24-four period for the fourth day in a row, a government tally showed. Russia, the fifth worst-hit country in the world, is battling a surging outbreak driven by the highly infectious Delta variant and worsened by a lagging vaccination drive. The surge in infections prompted President Vladimir Putin again this week to urge Russians to get inoculated in a televised phone-in session with the nation. But in spite of the worsening caseload and repeated fatality records, officials have pressed ahead with large in-person events, including Euro 2020 football fixtures in Russia's second city of Saint Petersburg.