Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is the first high-ranking Russian official to publicly say he has COVID-19.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has told President Vladimir Putin that he has been diagnosed with the new coronavirus and is temporarily stepping down to recover. Mishustin, 54, suggested that First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov serve as acting prime minister in his absence.
Putin, who appointed Mishustin in January, supported the proposal. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told President Vladimir Putin in a video call on Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID-19.Mishustin, who has been one of the main co-ordinators of Russia's response to the new coronavirus, is the first high-ranking Russian official to publicly say they have the virus. He broke the news on Thursday, local time, hours after the number of confirmed cases of the virus in Russia surged past the 100,000 mark."I have found out that the coronavirus tests I had done returned with a positive result," Mishustin said. "I need to self-isolate, and follow doctors' instructions. This is necessary for the safety of my colleagues."Mishustin said he would remain in contact with members of the government and Putin by phone and video conference despite his condition.Mishustin's fate showed that anyone could contract the virus, Putin added. Russia's nationwide tally of confirmed coronavirus cases surged past the 100,000 mark earlier on Thursday after a record daily rise in new infections. Russia this week overtook China and Iran in the number of confirmed cases arising from the global pandemic.Russia has so far reported 1073 coronavirus-related deaths, a figure far lower than many of the hardest-hit countries however. Putin has warned the peak of the outbreak has yet to come, and the authorities have said there could be a new spike in cases if the population flouts lockdown measures during public holidays in early May. The world's largest country by territory, Russia has been on lockdown since Putin announced the closure of most public spaces in late March to limit the scope for the virus to spread.Sign up to our Coronavirus Update newsletter Get our Coronavirus Update newsletter for the day's crucial developments at a glance, the numbers you need to know and what our readers are saying. Sign up to
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sydney childcare centre closes after four-year-old tests positive to coronavirusNSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says a slight easing of social distancing rules across the state is not a holiday after a western Sydney childcare centre closed following a four-year-old child testing positive for coronavirus.
Read more »
Prime Minister Scott Morrison flags easing of coronavirus restrictions in near future - ABC NewsPrime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia is 'on the road back' to an economy safe from COVID-19 and points to some states already rolling back rules.
Read more »
The US has recorded its first canine COVID-19 caseA pug in North Carolina has tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first known infection in a dog in the United States, according to US media.
Read more »
Australian intelligence officials have no evidence of Wuhan lab link to coronavirusAustralian intelligence officials have found no evidence the coronavirus started in a Wuhan laboratory, sparking Prime Minister Scott Morrison to privately dismiss the theory.
Read more »
UK death toll now second highest in EuropeNewly released data suggests more than 26,000 people have died in the UK after testing positive for the coronavirus.
Read more »
Trans-Tasman tourism bubble could be ready for ski seasonNew Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters wants a trans-Tasman travel bubble created in time for the snow season, but warns that any quarantine regulations would deter any tourists
Read more »