Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced that he has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Mishustin, 54, revealed the diagnosis Thursday during a video conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mishustin became the country’s prime minister in January after a Cabinet shake-up that resulted in the resignation of Dmitry Medvedev, who had served terms as both prime minister and president.
“I have just learned that the test on the coronavirus I took was positive,” Mishustin said on the call, according to the BBC.
In his newly appointed role as prime minister, Mishustin has been heavily involved in the Russian response to the coronavirus pandemic. The prime minister will be going into isolation after the diagnosis and suggested that First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov take his place while he is recovering.
Prior to his appointment as prime minister, Mishustin had served as the head of the Federal Tax Service since 2010.
As of Thursday afternoon, Russia has tallied about 106,000 coronavirus infections that have resulted in more than 1,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
