Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has tested positive for the coronavirus and has been hospitalized, according to local media reports on Tuesday.

"Yes, I am sick. I am receiving treatment," Peskov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

Peskov said he had last met President Vladimir Putin in person over a month ago, the TASS news agency reported. The Kremlin says Putin's health is rigorously protected and that he gets the best medical treatment Russia has to offer.

Putin, who has been working remotely from his residence outside Moscow and holding many meetings via video conference, held a face-to-face meeting earlier on Tuesday with Igor Sechin, the head of oil giant Rosneft. 

Peskov is the latest high profile government or Kremlin official to fall ill with the new virus. 

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told Putin at the end of April he had been diagnosed with the virus and was temporarily stepping down to recover.

Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova tested positive earlier this month, her spokeswoman said, and Construction Minister Vladimir Yakushev and one of his deputies were earlier diagnosed with the virus.

Russian factory and construction workers returned to work on Tuesday despite a new surge in coronavirus cases which gave Russia the second highest number of infections in the world after the United States.

Russia has confirmed 10,899 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, raising its total number to 232,243, its coronavirus response center said. 

The single-day increase has been over 10,000 for 10 consecutive days and the death toll from the virus also rose to 2,116 during that period in the country, the center's data showed.

Putin said on Monday that Russia will end its non-working period starting Tuesday but the ban on mass public gatherings will be upheld.

The president also announced new welfare payments for families with children and there will be new support measures for the economy.

The Kremlin introduced the measures in late March, saying Russians not working in essential jobs would have to stay at home but will still receive their salaries as part of sweeping efforts to contain the virus.

(With input from agencies)