Ukraine president's wife hospitalized with COVID-19
Tim Hanlon
Europe;Europe
Olena Zelenska has now been taken to hospital but does not need oxygen support. Sergei Supinsky/AFP

Olena Zelenska has now been taken to hospital but does not need oxygen support. Sergei Supinsky/AFP

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky's wife is in a stable condition in hospital with COVID-19, the presidential office has said, while adding that he doesn't have the virus.

Olena Zelenska revealed last week that she had tested positive for the coronavirus, while her husband and their two children tested negative. It also led to the president cancelling all meetings and visits.

"Olena Zelenska's current diagnosis is COVID-19 – bilateral polysegmental pneumonia of moderate severity. [She] does not require oxygen donation. The condition is stable," the office said in a statement.

It added that Olena was isolated and under medical supervision while new tests for the president and their children had again come back negative.

Ukraine went into lockdown in March as it moved to counter the spread of the coronavirus and in late May the government began to ease the restrictions, allowing restaurants, gyms, and public transport to operate. Since 15 June, the country has resumed air flights to and from the country.

Worryingly, though, in recent days, Ukraine has noted a significant rise in coronavirus cases, which the government attributes to neglect by people in taking necessary precautions to contain the infection.

"We all confused the mitigation of quarantine measures with the complete abolition of all restrictions that exist in the country," health minister Maksym Stepanov told a televised briefing on Tuesday.

Ukraine reported 32,476 coronavirus cases as of 16 June, including 912 deaths.