Andriy Sadovyi, the recently re-elected mayor of Lviv, has contracted COVID-19.
In a Dec. 7 message posted on Facebook, Sadovyi wrote that he had received a positive COVID-19 test and was planning to work remotely while self-isolating.
Sadovyi’s announcement comes amid a worsening epidemiological situation in Ukraine. In the past two weeks, the country has reported from 8,000 to 15,000 new cases a day.
Sadovyi wrote that, a day earlier, he felt minor weakness and suffered from a sore throat. The next morning, he took a COVID-19 test, which came back positive. The mayor said he does not have a fever and intends to work online for as long as his doctor allows him.
Less than a week ago, Sadovyi insisted that Lviv won’t enforce a lockdown for the upcoming holidays, when the city usually hosts Christmas fairs and events that attract thousands of visitors from all over the country.
“Christmas cannot be canceled, because at this time we always have a special atmosphere in Lviv. Too many people want to see it, and this must be taken into account, so no bans will work,” he said a statement released by the Lviv City Council.
Sadovyi isn’t the first mayor to contract COVID-19.
Since October, three mayors of Ukrainian cities have died from complications caused by the illness.
The mayor-elect of Konotop, Oleksandr Lugovyi, succumbed to what appeared to be COVID-19 on Nov. 16. The mayors of Boryspil, Anatoliy Fedorchuk, and Novgorod-Siversky, Oleg Bondarenko, also died of the disease on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29, respectively.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko also contracted the disease in October, but recovered from it. Kharkiv Mayor Hennady Kernes suffered a severe case of the virus and was taken to Germany for treatment. This did not stop him from winning reelection in the Oct. 25 local elections, but he has long been incommunicado, raising serious questions about whether he will be able to take office.
The virus has also hit the top ranks of the Ukrainian government. Both President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak recently recovered from COVID-19. Neither reported experiencing any complications.
To curb the number of new cases, the government is now considering a full lockdown.
It won’t be implemented in December, Zelensky said in a video address to the nation. But officials are eying the start of January for a lockdown.
“Let’s be honest: Completely avoiding a lockdown is very difficult,” Zelensky said.
