Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Oct. 28

Oct. 28: What you need to know today

• Russia on Wednesday confirmed 36,582 new Covid-19 infections and a new record of 1,123 deaths.
• The Kremlin on Wednesday cautioned Russians against traveling during the Oct. 30-Nov. 7 non-working period ordered by Moscow to stem a spike in coronavirus infections and deaths.
• The Israeli government will allow tourists vaccinated with Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine to enter the country starting Nov. 15.
• All of Russia’s 85 regions across 11 time zones have now mandated vaccines for certain categories of workers, Anna Popova, who heads the federal health watchdog that is leading the country’s response to the virus, said Tuesday.
• Authorities in annexed Crimea said they plan to purchase mobile refrigerators to store bodies in the city of Simferopol as Covid-19 deaths continue to rise and the city’s morgues are overwhelmed.

Oct. 25

• Russian authorities were on Monday investigating nurses and a doctor in St. Petersburg accused of selling fake coronavirus vaccination certificates, as the country faces a deadly new wave. The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said a doctor and three nurses are suspected of pocketing at least 100,000 rubles ($1,430) from 12 people after selling official certificates without having administered jabs.
• President Vladimir Putin on Monday instructed regional leaders to order restaurants to close between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. and to ban all entertainment events.
• Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Thursday imposed a partial citywide lockdown between Oct. 28-Nov. 7 to stem the spread of the virus.
• The restrictions suspend businesses, services, catering, sports, recreation, entertainment and film screenings with the exception of the sale of essential goods like medicines and food. Mass events, except those authorized by health officials, will be banned, and theater and museum attendance will be capped at 50% with mask-wearing and digital-code rules in place. In-person public services will be suspended and kindergarteners and school students sent home between Oct. 28 and Nov. 7.
  The Moscow region introduced identical restrictions shortly after Sobyanin’s announcement.
• President Vladimir Putin will not meet people face-to-face during Russia’s nationwide week-long paid holiday starting on Oct. 30 designed to curb Covid infections amid record deaths, his spokesman said Thursday.
• The pace of vaccinations in Russia has accelerated following a string of regions imposing vaccine mandates for workers in certain sectors of the economy and vaccine passports for entry into indoor venues, according to the Gogov website which tracks vaccine uptake across the country. It estimates Russia is administering more than 300,000 first doses each day — up from around 120,000 a day earlier October.

Oct. 23

— Russia’s second city St. Petersburg will impose a partial lockdown from Oct. 30-Nov. 7, authorities