Russia sees over 10,000 new coronavirus cases for fourth day in row

A medical worker wearing protective equipment sprays disinfectant at his ambulance after delivering a patient suspected of being infected with the coronavirus to the Pokrovskaya hospital in St.Petersburg, Russia, Monday, May 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

Russia recorded more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases for the fourth day in a row on Wednesday, surpassing Germany to become the country with the sixth-highest number of confirmed infections.

Russia has emerged as a new hotspot for the virus and in recent days has been recording the highest number of new infections in Europe.

Health officials on Wednesday reported 10,559 new cases over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 165,929, with 1,537 deaths.

The number of infections in Russia has been rising by more than 10,000 a day since Sunday, in contrast to countries in western Europe who are taking steps to ease lockdown measures after their rates of new cases and deaths dropped.

A non-working quarantine period is in place in Russia until May 11 and authorities have said it will be lifted or extended depending on the extent of outbreaks in different regions.

President Vladimir Putin was set to chair a government meeting to discuss a gradual withdrawal from virus lockdown later on Wednesday.

Moscow, which has emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic in Russia, has recorded 85,973 cases and 866 deaths.

Despite the sharp rise in cases, Russia’s official fatality rate has remained low in comparison to countries including Italy, Spain and the United States.

Officials credit quick moves to close the country’s borders, as well as widespread testing and tracking of infections, but critics have cast doubt on the numbers.