Doctor who met Putin +ve; record deaths in Spain

MADRID/MOSCOW/MILAN:THE chief doctor of Moscow’s top hospital for coronavirus patients says he’s tested positive, a statement that comes a week after his encounter with President Vladimir Putin, even as Spain reported a record number of fatalities on Tuesday.

Last Tuesday, Denis Protsenko met with the Russian leader who inspected the Kommunarka hospital while wearing a bright yellow hazmat suit. But 67-year-old Putin was also seen talking to Protsenko without any protective gear.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov swiftly told Russian news agencies that Putin took regular tests and there was no reason to worry about his health.

“Everything is fine,” Peskov said.

Protsenko said he tested positive but “felt quite well”.

On Tuesday, Russia had 500 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the biggest spike since the start of the outbreak. The country has 2,337 cases so far.

In Europe, Spain had its deadliest day yet, while Italy’s new cases levelled at a two-week low.

Spain reported another national record with 849 deaths in one day, dampening hopes it could have passed the peak of the crisis that has debilitated the country for weeks.

In battered Italy, the death toll climbed by 837 to 12,428, the Civil Protection Agency said on Tuesday, with the daily tally rising, albeit slightly, for a second day running.

The number of new cases was broadly steady, growing by 4,053 against 4,050 on Monday, and bringing total infections since the outbreak came to light on February 21 to 105,792.

Although there are hopeful signs the spread of infections is slowing in both countries, hundreds are still dying every day, leading authorities to extend nationwide shutdowns despite their crushing economic impact.

A 12-year-old girl infected with Covid-19 died in Belgium, a rare case of a young person succumbing to the disease.

It was the first death of a child in the coronavirus crisis in Belgium, which has now recorded 705 deaths according to the latest official toll.