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Daily COVID-19 Death Toll Hits Record Highs In Russia, Romania

Updated
Medical specialists treat a patient suffering from COVID-19 at a hospital in the Russian city of Oryol.
Medical specialists treat a patient suffering from COVID-19 at a hospital in the Russian city of Oryol.

Russia and Romania have reported record COVID-19 death tolls as a surge in infections blamed by the authorities on a low vaccination rate continues to sweep across Eastern Europe.

Russia's daily COVID-19 death toll has risen to a record high of 1,178 amid a surge in coronavirus infections that has forced officials to reimpose a partial lockdown nationwide.

The government coronavirus task force also reported 39,008 new infections over the previous 24 hours, including 5,736 cases in Moscow.

In Romania, the EU member state with the second-lowest immunization rate, health authorities on November 2 reported 591 deaths and just over 11,000 new cases over the previous 24 hours.

In Russia, more than 8.5 million infections have been recorded among its 146 million inhabitants during the pandemic. Russia's official COVID-19 death count stands at almost 241,000, the largest in Europe and fourth-highest in the world behind the United States, Brazil, and India.

But the task force counts only deaths directly caused by the virus. The state statistics service, Rosstat, which counts COVID-19 deaths by wider criteria, released figures on October 29 indicating Russia's death toll was about 462,000 as of the end of September, nearly twice the task force's count at that time.

To contain the spread of infection, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a paid "nonwork" period from October 30 to November 7 during which most state agencies and private businesses are to suspend operations.

Romania, meanwhile, has reported that no intensive-care beds were available in the country of 19 million. Several fellow EU members -- Poland, Hungary, and Germany -- have already begun airlifting Romanian patients to their hospitals.

Romania, with a death toll of almost 49,000, has fully vaccinated roughly 37 percent of its adult population.

Although daily vaccination numbers have risen in recent weeks amid fear of infection, skepticism induced by misinformation campaigns on social media remains high, while the authorities' bungled handling of the pandemic over the summer has contributed to public mistrust in prevention measures such as local lockdowns.

Inside Romania's Hospitals As COVID Crisis Intensifies

Medical staff are surrounded by COVID-19 patients in the intensive-care unit of the Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital in Bucharest on October 19.
1/12 Medical staff are surrounded by COVID-19 patients in the intensive-care unit of the Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital in Bucharest on October 19.
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
Coronavirus patients in the intensive-care unit of the Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital in Bucharest on October 19. Intensive-care doctor Claudiu Rusu told Reuters on October 19 that hospitals in the capital were stretched beyond capacity. "There isn't enough room to take all the cases that need us," he said.
2/12 Coronavirus patients in the intensive-care unit of the Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital in Bucharest on October 19. Intensive-care doctor Claudiu Rusu told Reuters on October 19 that hospitals in the capital were stretched beyond capacity. "There isn't enough room to take all the cases that need us," he said.
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
A COVID-19 patient writes down the phone number of his daughter for medical staff in the Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital.
3/12 A COVID-19 patient writes down the phone number of his daughter for medical staff in the Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital.
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
The same day these photos were taken in the Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital, Romania confirmed a record high of 18,863 new COVID-19 infections and 574 deaths in a single day.
4/12 The same day these photos were taken in the Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital, Romania confirmed a record high of 18,863 new COVID-19 infections and 574 deaths in a single day.
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
A crowded corridor in the Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital. There are currently around 1,800 COVID-19 patients in intensive care in Romania. The country has one of the EU's least developed health-care systems. 
5/12 A crowded corridor in the Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital. There are currently around 1,800 COVID-19 patients in intensive care in Romania. The country has one of the EU's least developed health-care systems. 
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
Staff of the Marius Nasta Pneumology Institute in Bucharest adjust a breathing mask on a coronavirus patient's face on October 17. Romania's president said on October 19 the crisis in Romania's overflowing hospitals was a "national drama of terrible proportions," blaming low vaccination rates among the Romanian population and a sluggish response from the authorities for the soaring coronavirus infection rates. 
6/12 Staff of the Marius Nasta Pneumology Institute in Bucharest adjust a breathing mask on a coronavirus patient's face on October 17. Romania's president said on October 19 the crisis in Romania's overflowing hospitals was a "national drama of terrible proportions," blaming low vaccination rates among the Romanian population and a sluggish response from the authorities for the soaring coronavirus infection rates. 
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
A woman looks through the window of the reception hall at the COVID-19 section of the Marius Nasta Institute of Pneumology in Bucharest on October 15. 
7/12 A woman looks through the window of the reception hall at the COVID-19 section of the Marius Nasta Institute of Pneumology in Bucharest on October 15. 
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
Medical staff in protective equipment distribute medication in the Marius Nasta Institute of Pneumology on October 15. 
8/12 Medical staff in protective equipment distribute medication in the Marius Nasta Institute of Pneumology on October 15. 
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
Oxygen bottles being replaced for a patient in the COVID-19 section of the Marius Nasta National Institute of Pneumology on October 15. 
9/12 Oxygen bottles being replaced for a patient in the COVID-19 section of the Marius Nasta National Institute of Pneumology on October 15. 
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
Medical staff listen to a presentation by a psychiatrist on how to cope with stress at the main operations room of COVID-19 section of the Marius Nasta Institute of Pneumology on October 15. 
10/12 Medical staff listen to a presentation by a psychiatrist on how to cope with stress at the main operations room of COVID-19 section of the Marius Nasta Institute of Pneumology on October 15. 
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
A coronavirus patient lies on a stretcher bed in a hallway of the Matei Bals Institute for Infectious Diseases in Bucharest on October 11. 
11/12 A coronavirus patient lies on a stretcher bed in a hallway of the Matei Bals Institute for Infectious Diseases in Bucharest on October 11. 
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
A policeman speaks to fruit sellers at a market in Bucharest on October 16. President Klaus Iohannis suggested restrictive new measures are likely. "Whether we are talking about the green certificate or other measures to reduce mobility and human interaction, we must not waste any more time...no matter how unpopular it may seem," he said on October 19. 
12/12 A policeman speaks to fruit sellers at a market in Bucharest on October 16. President Klaus Iohannis suggested restrictive new measures are likely. "Whether we are talking about the green certificate or other measures to reduce mobility and human interaction, we must not waste any more time...no matter how unpopular it may seem," he said on October 19. 
New photos from the intensive-care units of several Bucharest hospitals capture the scale of the health crisis now gripping Romania.
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Meanwhile, the Russian authorities say doctors are under "extraordinary" strain due to the surging number of cases.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that doctors working in red zones were facing "extreme physical and emotional stress" with the recent rise in cases.

"This is an excessive and extraordinary burden on our doctors, who are demonstrating heroism with what is happening," he added.

Anna Popova, the head of Russia's health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, urged citizens to "make use of the holiday period" to get themselves their injection.

With reporting by Reuters, G4media.ro, and TASS
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