A major scare over Vladimir Putin’s health emerged today as Russia’s top coronavirus doctor was stuck down with Covid-19 – one week after meeting and shaking hands with the Kremlin leader.
Denis Protsenko, 44, heads Konnunarka infectious diseases hospital, which was visited by Putin last week.
The pair were seen close to together and twice shook hands without protective gear.
Russian president Vladimir Putin (right) shakes hands with chief physician Denis Protsenko (left) as he visits a hospital for patients with suspected COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in the Kommunarka settlement in New Moscow, Russia last week
Putin is pictured walking along the halls of Kommunarka hopsital in New Moscow, accompanied by the country’s chief physician Denis Protsenko (right), last week
During the tour, neither man wore personal protective equipment, in New Moscow, Russia last week
They were also in a meeting in Protsenko’s office with other top officials including Russian deputy premier Tatiana Golikova, 54, in overall charge of Russia’s coronavirus policy.
The Kremlin sought to reassure Russians today by saying that Putin was regularly tested for coronavirus and ‘everything is okay’.
However, symptoms take time to develop.
Putin hasn’t been seen in public so far today.
Putin is pictured in very close proximity to infected senior physician Denis Protsenko (pictured behind the president) last week in New Moscow
There had been concern in recent days at a lapse in security around the Russian president over the virus.
Putin wore a hazmat suit and elaborate mask when he toured the coronavirus wards but there was no protective clothing when he was in other parts of the hospital with the chief motor and his team.
Chief hospital nurse Lyudmila Larionova said she was ‘shaken’ by Putin’s decision to enter the coronavirus wing which is treating 350 victims, and where two died at the weekend.
Protsenko, pictured with Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin (right), is still carrying out his duties, according to reports
Protsenko is being treated in his own hospital while also telling Podyom media he was still carrying out his duties.
‘I am working’, he said.
There is no clear plan for Putin’s succession if the all-powerful Russian leader is incapacitated long term.
Putin has been either president or prime minister since 1999.
Little known technocrat premier Mikhail Mishustin, 54, would temporarily take over the Kremlin if Putin was seriously ill or died.
But experts forecast a raging battle as competing secret services, defence and business clans vie for power at the end of the Putin era.
Little known technocrat premier Mikhail Mishustin, 54, would temporarily take over the Kremlin if Putin was seriously ill or died. Pictured: Putin speaks with Protsenko during the tour of the facility last week in Moscow
People queue in front of a post office, not following safe-distancing recommendations, in Moscow today. Russian authorities imposed a week long home quarantine to prevent the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 which causes the COVID-19 disease. Eighteen deaths and 2,365 cases of the COVID-19 disease have been confirmed in Russia
One candidate might be Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, 61, who warned after the Kummunarka hospital meeting: ‘Nobody is safe.’
Putin’s spokesman on Sunday defended his visit to the hospital on 24 March.
‘He always prefers to see with his own eyes how things are going ‘on the frontline,’ said his spokesman and close aide Dmitry Peskov on nationwide TV.
‘Putin would not be Putin if he did not decide to go there.’
He claimed ‘all safety precautions were taken’ – but critics dispute this, pointing to Putin shaking hands with medics and holding hospital meetings without protective gear or social distancing.
A Russian police officer is pictured wearing a surgical face mask in Red Square, Moscow today
Protsenko is an internationally recognised medic who was in contact with other doctors around the globe over Covid-19.
Real said this week before his infection was known: ‘I took a very hard decision to stop talking to my parents.
‘I deprived myself from happiness of seeing my elderly parents.
‘I have self-isolated myself from the family.’
An elderly woman wearing a protective face mask sits in a metro train in Moscow today
He has been an open critic of the ‘British herd immunity’ theory.
He said: ‘What guarantee do we have that the herd immunity will actually start?’
He publicly supported extra protection measures saying it was ‘better to be safe than sorry’.