What did Ukraine's health minister's COVID-19 diagnosis mean?
A look back at Health Minister Maksym Stepanov's positive test, reported in the days before 20 November 2020.
What was the political news reaching readers around 20 November 2020? Among the reports from the preceding days was that Health Minister Maksym Stepanov had tested positive for COVID-19. The test result was dated 15 November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine.
The diagnosis concerned the minister at the centre of the country's response to the pandemic in Europe, as the disease continued to spread across the continent.
In the region, attention also turned to Belarus. On 17 November 2020, opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called on European leaders to impose sanctions on supporters of President Alexander Lukashenko. Her appeal followed reports that police had used tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse protesters.
