Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustain says he has tested positive for coronavirus, telling President Vladimir Putin he'll be temporarily stepping down to recover.
Mustain, 54, was named prime minister in Janurary and has suggested First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov to step in for him.
This comes as Russia marks passing the grim milestone of 100,000 cases today, now still at 106,000 with nearly 3,100 new cases recorded.
In Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has said he does not believe the country's capital is yet close to overcoming the spread of Covid-19.
"We're not even at the midpoint in my opinion; at best we have passed a quarter of the way," said Mr Sobyanin.
So far the city has built one hospital to help cope with growing numbers of infections but he says shopping malls, sports venues or the Stalin-era VDNKh ehibition complex could be converted in to treatment facilities.
Moscow currently accounts for half of Russia's reported cases of coronavirus.
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