MOSCOW, October 26. /TASS/. The coronavirus pandemic has engulfed all Russian regions, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said on Tuesday.

According to the minister, the large number of active cases, or patients currently undergoing treatment, is explained by the fact that "the epidemic process has engulfed practically all Russian regions."

"Naturally, it is a colossal burden on the public health system," he stressed. 

According to the latest statistics, around 244.2 million people have been infected worldwide and more than 4.9 million deaths have been reported.

To date, 8,316,019 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 7,213,584 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 232,775 fatalities nationwide. The Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.