German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has tested positive for coronavirus, a spokesperson confirmed on Monday. The chancellor has just returned to Germany after a tour of the Gulf States, and is self-isolating with mild symptoms in his apartment in the chancellery in Berlin. 

German chancellor self-isolating with mild COVID infection

Government spokesperson Steffan Hebestreit announced on Monday that Scholz had come down with mild cold symptoms after returning to Germany from a trip to the Gulf over the weekend. The 64-year-old chancellor is now self-isolating in his apartment and will be taking meetings online. 

“Public appointments this week will be cancelled, [but] the chancellor wants to attend internal appointments and the scheduled meeting with the state premiers of the federal states virtually,” Hebestreit said. 

Scholz has just returned from trip to Gulf States

On Sunday, Scholz returned from a two-day trip to the Gulf States. He apparently tested negative for coronavirus before starting his trip. Over the weekend, he visited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, and finalised the details of a deal under which the UAE will supply natural gas and diesel to Germany. 

Up until now, the German chancellor has managed to avoid contracting coronavirus. During a trip to Africa in May, some members of his delegation came down with the virus, but Scholz did not. 

On Monday, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced via Twitter that she had also tested positive for coronavirus. 

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