Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has been diagnosed with COVID-19, according to Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti on Thursday.
Mishustin, who was appointed to the post by President Vladimir Putin in January, has stepped down from prime ministerial duties to self-isolate, with President Vladimir Putin appointing First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov as acting prime minister.'
The news comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in Russia crosses 100,000, and shortly after President Putin extended the national non-working period till May 11.
Earlier, Sergei Kiriyenko, Putin’s first deputy chief of staff, had tested positive for COVID-19, prompting testing of all those who had direct contact with him.
Russia confirmed 7,099 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, taking the official total to 106,498. According to Worldometer, the number of deaths was at 1,073.
