EU Commission Chief Self-Isolates, Tests Negative After Exposure
EU Commission President Von der Leyen Says She’s Self-Isolating
(Bloomberg) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tested negative for the coronavirus after self-isolating following contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19.
Despite the result, she will continue to self-isolate until Tuesday evening, von der Leyen said in a Twitter message on Monday.
Von der Leyen participated in a Sept. 29 meeting with someone who later tested positive for the virus, she said. The commission president is feeling well and has no symptoms, Eric Mamer, von der Leyen’s spokesman, told reporters, adding that she gets tested twice a week.
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Antonio Costa have also tested negative for Covid-19, news agency Lusa reported early on Monday, citing a source at the Portuguese presidency. They were both at a meeting of Portugal’s Council of State with von der Leyen near Lisbon last Tuesday. A member of the council has since informed the presidency that he had the virus, according to Lusa.
Two weeks ago, a summit of EU leaders was postponed for a week when its chairman, European Council President Charles Michel, was forced into isolation after he had contact with an official who later tested positive.
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