Sergey Katasonov, from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), came back to parliament without self-isolating himself for the necessary two-weeks. Katasonov had returned from a holiday in France, a country with over 2000 confirmed cases.

After his return, the deputy attended meetings in the State Duma and was even present when President Vladimir Putin addressed the chamber about the proposed constitutional changes on Tuesday.

Upon learning the news, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin ordered that the Katasonov's pass be canceled for 14 days. "We must respect the law and rules, starting with ourselves," he said.

Furthermore, he suggested that others who came into contact with Katasonov, including his assistants and other deputies, also enter quarantine.

Katasonov's party leader, nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, suggested that the deputy should be deprived of his parliamentary powers. As is his style, he did not mince his words.

"I propose that we should punish [him] in front of the whole country, and adopt a resolution on the early termination of Deputy Katasonov's powers,” he said. “So the whole country knows that we, the deputies, are not going to cover up those who, in such a vile way, can be the source of a real epidemic in our country.”

On March 5, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin decreed that citizens returning from certain foreign countries, including France, were obliged to enter self-isolation at home and not go to work.

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