Russia on Wednesday extended an entry ban for foreigners to slow the coronavirus as the country registers a steep rise in the number of new infections.  

The decree barring foreigners from entering the country, which was introduced in mid-March and set to expire Thursday, was extended until Russia has the virus under control, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said.

"I have signed a government resolution on extending it until the fight against the infection is over and the epidemic situation has improved," he told officials meeting to discuss Russia's response to the pandemic.  

Russia's nationwide tally of confirmed coronavirus cases neared the 100,000 mark on Wednesday after 5,841 new cases of the virus were registered overnight along with a record daily rise in the death toll. There are now 99,399 confirmed infections and 972 deaths. 

Mishustin said the entry ban would carry exemptions for specialists who do maintenance on imported equipment. This would "reduce the negative impact" on companies that manufacture equipment to combat coronavirus infection, he explained. 

President Vladimir Putin warned Tuesday that Russia had not yet reached the peak of coronavirus infections and extended lockdown measures in the country for two weeks.  

In a video-conference with regional governors, Putin said Russia had managed to slow the spread of the pandemic, but cautioned that "this should not reassure us." 

"The situation is still very difficult," said Putin. "We are facing a new and perhaps the most intense stage in countering the epidemic." 

(With input from AFP, Reuters)