Thursday. 25.04.2024

The Russian government on Tuesday ordered bars and restaurants throughout the country to close from 11 pm to 6 am as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus.

Medical masks are now mandatory in all crowded public places, as well as in all means of public transport, taxis and lifts, according a decree published on a federal health authority's website.

The measures were imposed "in connection with the continuing global spread of the novel coronavirus," the decree said.

Russia, which has the world's fourth-highest number of recorded coronavirus cases, with a total of more than 1.5 million infections, has been posting record numbers of daily infections in recent weeks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for observation of the precautions but has dismissed imposing stricter measures, such as another lockdown, which devastated the country's already struggling economy earlier this year.

Russia orders bars, restaurants to close at night due to coronavirus