​Russia’s COVID-19 cases top 450,000

Russia confirmed 8,855 new coronavirus infections Saturday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 458,689.

Over the past 24 hours, 197 people have died, bringing the total toll to 5,725 — a rate considerably lower than in many other countries hit hard by the pandemic, according to local media. 

A total of 8,708 people have recovered, bringing the overall number of recoveries to 221,388.

New infections have been steadily dropping since mid-May when officials were reporting daily increases of around 11,000 cases.

Yet critics have cast doubt on the numbers, accusing the authorities of under-reporting deaths and threatening a new wave of infections by lifting restrictions.

Moscow, the epicenter of Russia’s pandemic with around half of the country’s total cases, eased a nine-week lockdown on Monday, allowing shops to reopen and residents to leave their homes for short walks.