Ukrainian President Zelenskyy tests positive for COVID-19

Agencies | Kyiv

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced he tested positive for coronavirus, saying his health was in good condition.

“There are no lucky people from whom COVID-19 does not pose a threat,” the 42-year-old said in a Twitter post, adding that he will isolate while keep working remotely.

“I will overcome COVID-19 as most people do. It’s gonna be fine!”

Minutes later, Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, also said he had tested positive for coronavirus.

Zelenskyy’s wife, Olena, contracted coronavirus in June and spent several weeks in hospital.

The news came shortly after the president said on Monday that Ukraine may introduce a lockdown at weekends in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus, adding that such a move would not have a serious negative effect on the economy.

Health Minister Maksym Stepanov warned last week that the country was facing a potential “catastrophic” situation. “We need to prepare for the inevitable – it is impossible to easily pass the second wave,” he told Ukraine’s parliament on Tuesday.

Ukraine imposed a strict lockdown in March but eased it in May.

The daily tally of coronavirus infections spiked in late September and remained consistently high throughout October and early November.

To date, the country has reported 483,153 confirmed coronavirus infections and 8,812 related deaths.