Russian statistics soar for virus-linked deaths in 2020

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s updated statistics on coronavirus-linked deaths show that 162,429 people with COVID-19 died last year, a number much higher than previously reported by government officials. The state statistics agency, Rosstat, released figures for December on Monday, updating its count of coronavirus-linked deaths that includes cases where the virus wasn’t the main cause of death and where the virus was suspected but not confirmed. December accounted for the highest num