A Kremlin spokesman and confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin is in the hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus, according to Russian media reports.
Dmitry Peskov, 52, on Tuesday confirmed his hospitalization to the Interfax news agency in a statement, saying, “Yes, I’ve gotten sick. I’m being treated.”
Peskov, who has worked as Putin’s spokesman since 2008, was last seen by Kremlin reporters on April 30 while he was “at a meeting with Vladimir Putin.” However, it is unclear whether or not Peskov and Putin were in the same room because the Russian leader has been conducting his recent meetings via teleconference.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin also revealed in late April that he tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Mishustin’s spokesperson said he “continues to undergo treatment in one of the state-run medical facilities” but did not explicitly address the state of his health.
A total of 4.2 million people globally have been infected with the COVID-19 virus, per the latest reading of the Johns Hopkins University tracker.
Russia currently has the most confirmed cases of the coronavirus outside the United States, with over 232,243 people infected. There are approximately 2,100 deaths and 43,512 recoveries. Despite emerging as a COVID-19 virus hot spot, Putin moved on Monday to ease the country’s lockdown.
