Covid cases in Russia rocket 70% in a month

Medical staff tend a coronavirus patient at Kommunarka, outside Moscow (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

Russia has reported the highest number of daily new coronavirus infections, more than 70% up on the figure for a month ago, as the country faces a sustained surge in cases.

The national coronavirus taskforce said on Sunday that 34,303 new infections were recorded the day before, which compares to 20,174 on September 19.