MOSCOW, (Reuters) – Russia has reported 698 Omicron coronavirus-related cases to date. Tatiana Golikova Deputy Prime Minister said that new measures will be taken by Wednesday to counter its spread.

Omicron has raised COVID-19 figures in western Europe to new records, as well as the United States. However, the variant is slower to arrive in Russia. In Russia, daily COVID cases are down from the peak of 41 335 recorded in early November.

Data compiled by the Reuters COVID-19 tracker https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/russia show Russia’s reported pandemic death toll stands at more than 666,000, the second highest in the world behind the United States.

Golikova spoke to Vladimir Putin in a televised cabinet meeting and said that Russia might see an increase of COVID-19-related cases “severalfold” because the new variant.

“We’re preparing extra measures to respond quickly,” she stated. The proposal will be ready by the weekend.

Anna Popova (the country’s highest consumer health official) warned Tuesday that COVID-19 infection rates could reach six figures per day if appropriate sanitary precautions are not taken.

Russia has reported 17946 cases, 745 deaths and 17896 injuries in 24 hours.

The Kremlin frequently voiced frustration over the slow rate of domestically produced Sputnik V vaccination against COVID-19 and urged officials to improve inoculation rates.

Golikova claimed that Russia had a collective immunity against COVID-19 of 63.2% as it stood Wednesday, slightly lower than the 61.8% reported on Dec. 30.

Moscow authorities already have indicated that they plan to mobilise additional hospital beds as they anticipate a dramatic rise in case numbers.