Kremlin, worried by coronavirus, tells journalists who cover Putin to stay away if they feel unwell

The Kremlin on Friday told journalists who cover President Vladimir Putin to stay away from official events if they felt unwell as a precautionary measure to protect Kremlin staff from the coronavirus. Moscow says it has officially recorded 34 cases of coronavirus. It says nobody has died from the virus in Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Putin's own medical care arrangements were of an extraordinary high level and that he was working at full capacity. Peskov, when asked, declined to say whether Putin had taken a coronavirus test.

A Russian lawmaker ignored Russia's coronavirus self-isolation rules earlier this week to attend a parliamentary session where Putin gave a speech. Peskov said he was confident however that Putin had not had any contact with the lawmaker.