Russia yet to reach COVID-19 peak, death toll tops 500

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia has yet to see a let down in fatalities and infections from coronavirus indicating the outbreak has not reached its peak.

The emergency team said Wednesday 5,236 more people tested positive for COVID-19 – a 9.9% increase – pushing the tally of cases to 57,999.

Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 513, with 57 new fatalities.

A total of 4,420 people have recovered after contracting the virus.

As nearly half of people carrying the virus show no symptoms, the government has upped testing.

As of Wednesday, 2.5 million tests were carried out.

The country is under lockdown until April 30 and its extension is likely.

Scientists are scrambling to find a vaccine for the virus which has wreaked havoc across the world.

The novel virus has spread to 185 countries and regions since emerging in China last December.

More than 2.56 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll over 177,500, according to data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.