Olena, the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said on Friday she had tested positive for coronavirus, but her husband and their two children had tested negative.

“Today I received a positive test for coronavirus. Unexpected news. Especially considering that I and my family continue to follow all the rules – masks, gloves, a minimum of contacts,” First lady Olena Zelenska wrote on Facebook.

The country’s officials said on Thursday there had been an ‘alarming rise’ in coronavirus cases after a daily record of 689 new infections were reported as the country eases lockdown measures.

Health Minister Maksym Stepanov berated Ukrainians for failing to stick to safety rules after lockdown restrictions were eased last month.

“The threat is still here, but take a look at the streets, take a look at what is happening around you,” he said.

“We all came out of isolation, we all decided that (the virus) no longer exists,” he added.

Ukraine has reported 29,753 coronavirus cases, including 870 deaths.