Cumulative Confirmed Cases Total 912,823
The photo shows the 'Sputnik V' vaccine developed and officially registered by Russia. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The daily number of new COVID-19 cases in Russia has not fallen below the 5,000 mark.
On the 14th (local time), the Russian government's COVID-19 Prevention and Control Headquarters announced that 5,065 new infections were confirmed, bringing the total number of cases to 912,823.
Russia's cumulative confirmed cases remain the fourth largest in the world, following the United States, Brazil, and India. The daily new cases in Russia began to surge sharply since the end of April, peaking at over 11,000 in early May.
With no clear decline in confirmed cases, concerns about a resurgence continue as regional governments gradually lift restrictions. The phased resumption of international flights starting from the 1st and the increase in holiday travelers are also pointed out as factors that could fuel the resurgence.
Meanwhile, the Russian government announced on the 11th that the 'Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology' under the Ministry of Health officially registered its self-developed COVID-19 vaccine as the world's first, and that mass production and vaccinations for high-risk groups such as doctors and teachers will begin soon.
However, some raise doubts and concerns about the efficacy and safety of the vaccine, which was approved without undergoing a third phase clinical trial.
Most experts say that since the vaccine was developed in a very short period and there is insufficient data on its efficacy and safety, people are either not ready to be vaccinated or remain skeptical.
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