Moscow, Jan 27 (AP) Moscow's mayor on Wednesday lifted some coronavirus restrictions in the Russian capital, citing a downward trend in new infections.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said starting Wednesday, employers are no longer required to have 30 per cent of staff work from home, although a recommendation to continue doing that remains. Sobyanin has also allowed cafes, restaurants and bars to operate between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

“Over the past week, the number of new infections didn't exceed 2,000-3,000 a day ... More than 50 per cent of beds in coronavirus hospitals are free for the first time since mid-June,” Sobyanin said.

“The pandemic is on the decline ... and it's our duty to create conditions for the economy to recover as fast as possible.”

The number of new coronavirus infections reported by Russian authorities has been on the decline this month, dropping from up to 25,000 a day in early January to under 20,000 this week.

In Moscow, the number of daily new infections dropped to under 2,000 on Wednesday, from roughly 5,000 two weeks ago.

Russia has reported a total of 3.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases and over 70,000 deaths in the pandemic.

In December, Russian authorities launched a vaccination campaign with the domestically developed Sputnik V jab, that is still undergoing advanced trials to ensure its safety and effectiveness. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)