TOGLIATTI, August 3. /TASS/. More than 98% of hospitalized coronavirus patients in Russia are unvaccinated, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko told reporters on Tuesday.

"More than 98% of hospitalized patients are unvaccinated people. That shows that vaccination today works - it protects and saves lives," he said.

Murashko noted that patients with suspected COVID-19 should begin treatment within the first 24 hours. "Today we see that sometimes severe complications develop by the fifth day, and the delay in starting treatment poses a threat to [patients’] lives," he concluded.

To date, 6,334,195 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 5,659,746 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 160,925 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.