Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
Mishustin on Thursday informed President Vladimir Putin that he had been diagnosed with the new coronavirus and will be 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.
“I have found out that the coronavirus tests I had done returned with a positive result, “I need to self-isolate, and follow doctors’ instructions. This is necessary for the safety of my colleagues,” Mishustin said.
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.
