A coronavirus infection has been identified in the Russian presidential administration, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
According to Peskov, President Vladimir Putin had not made contact with the patient, and sanitary measures are being taken to stop the spread of the virus.
Peskov added that Vladimir Putin is taking “additional prevention measures” but continues to work as normal. “The President keeps working, he just cannot stop [doing] it,” he said.
Administration officials began undergoing testing for coronavirus last week, after the outbreak started spreading in Russia. Testing is underway at the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, where no cases have been confirmed so far; members of the State Duma are scheduled to have tests on Monday.
The country has registered 196 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 1,036 as of Friday morning. A 70-year-old woman has become Russia's third COVID-19 victim, the country's health officials confirmed earlier today.
Vladimir Putin, who visited a hospital for coronavirus patients this week, has declared a week-long paid holiday starting Saturday, 28 March. All essential services like public transport, groceries, pharmacies and banks will keep working as usual. Russia's borders will remain closed to all foreigners until 1 May.
