Eight members of Russia’s Parliament have been hospitalized with COVID-19 in the past week

Another eight Russian State Duma deputies were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the past week, Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin announced on Tuesday. Since the start of the pandemic, 18 federal lawmakers (including the latest cases) have required such care. “In total, the number of deputies who have had the illness, recovered, and developed antibodies is now 60,” says Volodin.

As Russia confronts what appears to be a second wave of coronavirus infections, the State Duma has returned partially to remote work. Committee meetings, for example, are now being conducted by video-conferences. 

The Parliament’s lower house is also restricting visitors, requiring the approval of party leaders and committee heads for such permission. 

In mid-September, Volodin said roughly 50 State Duma deputies had already recovered from COVID-19. One lawmaker, Communist Party deputy Vakha Agaev, died on September 23 at the age of 67 after contracting the disease.