Russian President Vladimir Putin Self Isolates After Covid-19 Cases Arise In His Entourage

Putin was going to travel to Tajikistan this week for planned regional security meetings but will attend via video conferencing instead. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin ( Kremlin Pool via AP Photo)

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin has self-isolated himself after many members of his entourage tested positive for Covid-19. Putin himself is "absolutely" healthy and does not have Covid-19, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

According to a Reuters report, the Kremlin said that Putin decided to self-isolate after he had met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday.

Putin was going to travel to Tajikistan this week for planned regional security meetings but will attend via video conferencing instead. 

According to the Reuters report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin had been in touch with several people in his entourage who had fallen ill with Covid-19.

When asked if Putin had tested negative for COVID-19, Peskov was quoted as saying, "Of course yes. The president is absolutely healthy."

The step suggests that here was likely a breach in the rigorous regime to keep Putin away from anyone with Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin says he hopes the Russia-made Sputnik V vaccine "would protect him" after coronavirus cases were detected in his entourage, AFP reports.

#UPDATE Russian President Vladimir Putin says he hopes the Russia-made Sputnik V vaccine would protect him, after coronavirus cases were detected in his entourage forcing him into to isolate pic.twitter.com/LcSnnlAEXp

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 14, 2021

The Russian president has taken two shots of the flagship Covid vaccine Sputnik V. 

Kremlin visitors have had to pass through special disinfection tunnels, people who were planning to meet him were asked to quarantine and be tested, journalists would have to take multiple PCR tests.