Official figures released on Friday August 7 by the Russian Statistics Agency (Rosstat) show the death of at least 5,448 people from the coronavirus in June, a thousand more than the number so far announced by the authorities .
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Russia has been criticized for months for its official figures on deaths from the coronavirus far lower than those of other European countries. If some suspect manipulations, the authorities assure that this is the result of a massive screening policy and strong measures taken from the start of the epidemic. According to figures released daily by the authorities, 4,499 people died from Covid-19 between June 2 and July 1.
4,880 infected people died of other diseases
The statistics agency Rosstat, in particular responsible for providing demographic data, for its part reported on Friday a higher number over the same period: 5,448 people for whom the virus is considered " the main cause of death ". In addition, 4,880 other people infected with the coronavirus died from other diseases, but for 1,399 of them the virus was the " catalyst " of their death, according to Rosstat.
According to the agency, the number of people who died in Russia from all causes rose to 162,758 in June, 25,521 more than the same month last year. Russia only lists in the official Covid-19 death toll the deaths whose primary cause is the coronavirus, after autopsy, when other countries include almost all the deaths of people who test positive. Russia had 877,135 cases of contamination with the coronavirus on Friday, of which 14,725 were fatal, according to official figures.