Russia has reported its highest-ever number of daily deaths and cases of people infected with Covid-19, fuelling concerns that a second wave of the pandemic is hitting the country.

There were 13,868 new infections and 244 virus deaths, the government's coronavirus crisis centre said, with both figures surpassing previous records set since the start of the outbreak.

With the fourth highest infection tally in the world, Russia has recorded just under 23,000 fatalities since the start of the pandemic — a much lower figure compared to other badly-hit countries, according to AFP.

Officials have earlier said they are only counting deaths directly caused by the virus leading critics to accuse Russia of under-reporting Covid mortality to downplay the scale of the situation.

![A woman wearing a face shield and mask to protect against the coronavirus disease uses her mobile phone at Chkalovskaya metro station in Moscow on October 12. — AP]https://i.dawn.com/primary/2020/10/5f8577db054de.jpg