In the light of a surge in Coronavirus-related deaths, Russian authorities were tightening up the enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions.

Several shopping centers are facing a temporary shutdown because customers hadn’t worn face masks, inspectors from the city administration said on Thursday, according to the Interfax news agency.

On Thursday, Russia registered another record number of COVID-19-related deaths within 24 hours.

According to official figures, 867 people died after contracting the virus the highest number to date.

Russia, a country of some 146 million, had been recording high daily death numbers for months.

The total death tally currently stands at over 207,000, according to the authorities.

However, the number of unreported cases is thought to be high.

According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the country’s current vaccination rate is not high enough.

“We probably need to explain more actively that vaccinating save lives,’’ he said.

Some 50 million Russians, or 34 percent of the population, have received at least one dose of a Coronavirus vaccine so far, according to official figures.

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Doctors in Moscow are now to receive a bonus for every person they vaccinate against COVID-19.

They will be paid an additional 2.6 dollars for every adult between 18 and 60 years, and 5.5 dollars for everyone over 60 willing to get the jab.