AKIPRESS.COM - Russia confirmed 10,598 new coronavirus infections Friday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 262,843.

Russia is now the second most-affected country in terms of infections and has the world's second-fastest rate of new infections behind the United States.

One hundred and thirteen people died over the past 24 hours, bringing the total toll to 2,305.

The Kremlin this week eased a national lockdown to slow the spread of the virus, despite a steady rise in numbers that has brought Russia to second place in a global tally of infections, behind the United States.

A majority of Russia's new cases were registered in the capital, a government virus tally said, where Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has extended a lockdown until the end of May.