Russian FM Lavrov self-isolating after virus contact
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov prior to his meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens, Oct. 26, 2020. (AP Photo)


Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov went into self-isolation Tuesday after being in contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.

The minister feels good and there are no signs of illness, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. But working trips to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia, planned for Oct. 28-29, have been rescheduled.

Earlier Tuesday, Russia announced its biggest single-day death toll since the beginning of the pandemic, while it registered its biggest single-day growth in cases Monday.

The country's Chief Sanitary Officer Anna Popova announced that mass gatherings and entertainment events are prohibited from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning Wednesday.

She said if the situation continues to worsen, authorities could introduce stricter measures.

It is obligatory to wear face masks on public transport and in parking lots, elevators and in mass gatherings where 50 or more people are present.

Since it emerged last December in China, Nearly 43.5 million people have contracted the virus globally, while more than 1.1 million have died and around 29.2 million recovered, according to U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

The U.S., India, and Brazil are currently the worst-hit countries. Russia is a distant fourth, with 4 million fewer cases than Brazil.