AKIPRESS.COM - Russia on Monday reported 9,035 new cases of the novel coronavirus, taking the nationwide tally of infections to 414,878, Reuters reports. 

The country’s coronavirus response centre said 162 people had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall death toll from the virus to 4,855.

Authorities have predicted a higher death toll in May compared to April, attributing this to deaths among patients who were hospitalized during the peak of the epidemic several weeks ago.

Officials in Moscow — the worst-hit city in Russia — on Thursday released details of mortality statistics for April in an effort to quash claims they have been under-reporting deaths to play down the scale of the crisis.

A total of 636 people died due to the coronavirus in Moscow in April, down from the previously reported toll of 639, health officials said.