German president in quarantine after bodyguard tests positive for COVID-19
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was quarantining on Saturday after one of his bodyguards tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a spokeswoman for the president’s office.
The bodyguard is considered is a first-degree contact person.
Steinmeier’s first test came back was negative, but he remains in quarantine, a spokesperson said. Further tests are planned in the coming days.
Germany recorded 7,830 coronavirus infections in the last 24-hour period — the highest daily figure since the pandemic began, according to the Robert Koch Institute.
Read more: Coronavirus in Germany: Angela Merkel urges people to stay home ‘whenever possible’
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Coronavirus: Politicians who’ve tested positive
Donald Trump
Donald Trump, who once said COVID-19 tests were “beautiful,” tested positive for the coronavirus, along with his wife Melania, soon after senior aide Hope Hicks also contracted the virus. Trump previously claimed experts should consider using powerful light and injecting disinfectants to treat the novel virus. It is not known whether he will be using this form of treatment for his own infection.
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Coronavirus: Politicians who’ve tested positive
Silvio Berlusconi
The 83-year-old former Italian premier tested positive for the virus and is believed to be asymptomatic, his party announced September 2. Two of Berlusconi’s children as well as his 30-year-old girlfriend are also COVID-19 positive. The ex-premier tested positive after vacationing along Sardinia’s coastline, where Italy’s rich and famous have been known to flaunt mask policies.
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Coronavirus: Politicians who’ve tested positive
Jair Bolsonaro
Brazil’s president, who has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the pandemic, contracted the virus in July. He was criticized for ignoring the safety measures recommended by health experts both before and after his diagnosis, including shaking hands and hugging supporters in crowds. His wife and sons have also tested positive.
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Coronavirus: Politicians who’ve tested positive
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, tested positive for coronavirus after returning from the United Kingdom in mid-March. Her husband later announced that he had gone into self-isolation.
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Coronavirus: Politicians who’ve tested positive
Boris Johnson
In late March, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came down with a coronavirus infection that landed him in the hospital for several days. Johnson spent a week at a hospital in London and three nights in intensive care where he was given oxygen and observed around the clock. He was released in mid-April and credited hospital staff with saving his life.
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Coronavirus: Politicians who’ve tested positive
Michel Barnier
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, tested positive for the virus in March. The top Brussels official sent out a tweet in English as well as French saying he was doing well and “in good spirits.” He added: “I am following all the necessary instructions, as is my team.”
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Coronavirus: Politicians who’ve tested positive
Alexander Lukashenko
Belarus’s embattled President Lukashenko told military officials on July 28 that he had survived an “asymptomatic” COVID-19 infection “on his feet,” days before his contentious re-election. The claim met skepticism given its timing. He initially dismissed fears about the pandemic as a “psychosis” and went as far as suggesting cures such as drinking vodka, taking saunas and playing ice hockey.
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Coronavirus: Politicians who’ve tested positive
Jeanine Anez
Bolivia’s interim president Jeanine Anez announced on July 10 that she had the virus. “I feel well, I feel strong, I am going to keep working remotely from my isolation, and I want to thank all the Bolivians who are working to help us in this health crisis,” the leader tweeted at the time.
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Coronavirus: Politicians who’ve tested positive
Juan Orlando Hernandez
The president of Honduras spent time being treated at a military hospital after falling ill with coronavirus in June. He received specialized care including receiving medicines via an intravenous drip. His wife and two presidential aids also tested positive. Hernandez left hospital in early July after his symptoms improved.
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Coronavirus: Politicians who’ve tested positive
Alejandro Giammattei
The Guatemalan president told local radio on September 18 that he had tested positive for the virus. The 64-year-old, who has multiple sclerosis and uses canes to walk, said his symptoms were mild. The government said Giammattei plans on monitoring his health and continuing official duties from isolation.
Steinmeier was due to appear at the Frankfurt Book Fair on Sunday to attend an award ceremony, but those plans have now been canceled.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass went into quarantine in September after it emerged that one of his bodyguards had caught COVID-19. Maas later tested negative for the disease.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel spent two weeks in home quarantine in March after meeting with an infected doctor. Merkel tested negative at the time.
At least two foreign ministers of European Union Member States have tested postive for the coronavirus following an EU summit in Luxembourg.
Read more: Belgian and Austrian foreign ministers test positive for coronavirus after EU summit
aw, kw/rs (AFP, dpa)
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/german-president-in-quarantine-after-bodyguard-tests-positive-for-covid-19/a-55309674?maca=en-rss-en-ger-1023-xml-atom