Putin in Self-isolation after Members of Inner Circle Get COVID-19

After many members of his inner circle contracted COVID-19, Russian President Vladimir Putin is self-isolating as a precaution. He has tested negative for the sickness and is "totally well," according to the Kremlin.

The 68-year-old strongman opted to self-isolate after receiving the second dose of the Russian vaccination Sputnik V in April, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

He didn't indicate how long Putin would be isolated, but he did say that the Russian leader would go about his business as usual.

Russian President is “absolutely healthy” according to Peskov, who added, “Definitely, yes,” when asked if the president had tested negative for the virus.

The official did not specify which of Putin's connections had been affected, only that there had been multiple cases.

The Russian president had met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad the day before.

[caption id="attachment_270418" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad[/caption]

In addition to meeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Putin greeted Russian Paralympians and took part in military drills with Belarus on Monday.

Putin said after his meeting with the sportsmen that he“may have to quarantine soon.”

“Even in my circle, problems occur with this COVID,” Putin was quoted as saying by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. “We need to look into what’s really happening there. I think I may have to quarantine soon myself. A lot of people around (me) are sick.”

When asked why Putin held public events while aware of COVID instances in the area, Peskov claimed the decision to self-isolate was made after “doctors completed their testing, their procedures.”

The official claimed that “no one’s health was endangered” during the events on Monday.

The COVID-19 task group in Russia has reported 7.1 million confirmed cases and 194,249 deaths, despite reports from the government's statistical office Rosstat that tally the deaths retroactively revealing substantially higher figures.

The country's daily death toll is just near 800, the highest in the pandemic, yet there are few viral restrictions in place.