Russia now has second highest COVID-19 infection cases as country reopens

The spread of coronavirus infection continued in Russia with authorities reporting 10,899 infections in the last 24 hours with the total number of infected cases rising to 232,243.

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Despite the rising cases of infection, President Putin on Monday had announced the lifting of the "non-working" period which was in place for over a month with employees in the construction industry allowed to work.

Russia has far fewer deaths as compared to European nations including the US where thousands have lost their lives. The country reported 107 new deaths on Tuesday with the total death toll climbing to 2,116.

However, the rising number of infection cases has led to a major concern among authorities with the country unable to check it. Russia is currently just behind the United States in the number of infected cases in the world. In just a few weeks it has overtaken Spain, Italy, and United Kindom who currently have over 200,000 cases.

The death toll in the United States has crossed over 80,000 with Spain recording over 26,000 fatalities, and Italy has already reported over 30,000 deaths so far.

The easing of the stay-at-home orders in Russia is being widely seen as a measure to kick-start the economy with oil prices at a record low which has already hurt the economy as the country grapples with the virus.

"Starting from May 12, the national period of non-working days will be over for all sectors of the economy," Putin said. Moscow has become the epicenter of the virus in Russia with half of the cases reported in the nation's capital.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had earlier extended the lockdown in the capital until the end of May.