Putin keeps Russian workers home for a week as deaths soar

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin says he supports the Cabinet’s proposal to declare a non-working week as coronavirus deaths have surged to another daily record. The government task force on Wednesday reported 1,028 coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours, the highest number since the start of the pandemic. That brought the total death toll to 226,353, which is by far the highest in Europe. Putin said Wednesday he approves the Cabinet’s proposal to introduce a nonworking period starting Oct. 30 and extending through the following week when four of seven days already are state holidays. He added in some regions where the situation is the most threatening, the non-working period could start as early as Saturday.