Russia has reported a record number of deaths linked to Covid-19 in a single day in Moscow, amid a surge in infections that authorities blame on the Delta variant and the slow progress of a vaccination programme, reports Reuters.

Officials have scrambled to compel people to get inoculated amid tepid demand for the vaccine since cases began surging this month.

The government coronavirus task force has reported 20,393 new Covid-19 cases, including 7,916 in Moscow, the most confirmed in a single day since January 24, taking the official national tally since the pandemic began to 5,409,088.

It said 601 people had died of coronavirus-linked causes in the past 24 hours, with 98 in the capital, pushing the national death toll to 132,064.