Russia reported 50,952 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the highest daily number in nearly six months, the Russian government’s coronavirus task force announced on Friday, Reuters and Agerpres reported.

Over the past six weeks, the number of cases has increased across the country due to the spread of new highly contagious variants of the coronavirus.

Friday’s figure is the highest number of new cases reported in 24 hours since March 10.

Russia has been one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic in terms of deaths, as the Kremlin largely ruled out strict restrictions after a brief lockdown in April 2020, while vaccination uptake has been slow.

The sharp increase in the number of new cases of coronavirus infection is taking place in conditions where Western sanctions have already put a lot of pressure on the Russian economy, to which is added the financial burden of supporting the war in Ukraine, which has entered its 191st day. .

The arrival of autumn is another source of anxiety for the Kremlin

Investigative website Meduza reported last month after speaking with several sources in the Kremlin that the onset of autumn is also another cause for concern among advisers to President Vladimir Putin.

According to them, autumn is a traditional period of growing discontent in Russia.

Sources of Meduza journalists remind that in the summer social “anxieties” become less important: people are busy with vacations and trips to the countryside.

But in the fall, Russians begin to worry about the difficulties associated with work and fear rising prices, as the optimism of the summer vacation fades.

“In essence, summer is a kind of time for a break: warmth, light, working days take a back seat. Autumn, everyone understands: winter is coming, don’t expect anything good,” one of the sources of Russian journalists said ironically.

Another interviewee noted that preparing children for the start of the new school year on September 1 could be another source of social tension, with people inevitably comparing how much they spent on groceries and other essentials this year after Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine. , how much they have spent in the past and the extent of the price increase becomes apparent to them.