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Russia's coronavirus infections today jumped by 1,786 to 11,917, marking the biggest daily rise in the country's accelerating outbreak.

The number of deaths also rose by 18 to 94, according to Moscow's crisis response centre. 

Compared with neighbouring countries such as China, where the virus spawned late last year, both the infection and fatality tallies have been kept low.

But in a sign that the Kremlin is braced for a take-off in Covid-19 cases, 18 new hospitals are rapidly being erected across the country.