Moscow to shut shops, schools as COVID-19 deaths soar

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Authorities in Moscow have announced plans to shut restaurants and non-food stores and introduce other restrictions later this month as Russia registered the highest daily numbers of new coronavirus infections and deaths since the start of the pandemic. The government coronavirus task force reported 36,339 new confirmed infections and 1,036 deaths in the past 24 hours. That brought Russia’s death toll to 227,389, by far the highest in Europe. Moscow Mayor Sergei said all restaurants, cafes and non-food stores, gyms, cinemas and other entertainment venues in the Russian capital will be shut from Oct. 28 to Nov. 7. Schools and kindergartens will also be closed during that period, and most state organizations and private businesses will halt work.