Russia now has world's second highest coronavirus cases

Russia has confirmed 232,000 cases of coronavirus - the second highest toll in the world after the USA.

In the last 24 hours the country has reported 10,899 infections, the tenth consecutive day that number has been above 10,000.

The news comes the day after Russian President Vladimir Putin eased the country's lockdown.

Factory and construction workers returned to work on Tuesday (May 12), though Putin gave regions freedom to set restrictions depending on local circumstances.

Despite the high number of confirmed cases, Russia's death toll is only 2,116.

Government officials in Russia say the country's mass testing programme is responsible for that low mortality rate, but many believe the number is in fact far higher.

(Source: BBC)