Russia's state statistics agency on Friday said at least 7,444 people died in May due to the coronavirus, a figure more than double that previously reported by the country's health officials, AFP reported.

Russia came in for criticism in May when it was reporting very few deaths in comparison to other European countries.

Officials attributed the low figures to Russia's rapid response to the pandemic.

The country's health authorities, which have been giving daily figures since March, earlier said that 3,633 people died from the coronavirus in May.

However the state statistics agency, which gives demographic data with a delay, on Friday gave vastly different numbers for that month.