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Belgium’s foreign minister has been admitted to intensive care for nearly a week after testing positive for coronavirus.
Sophie Wilmes, who served as the country’s prime minister until earlier this month, is said to be stable and still awake for treatment at a hospital on the outskirts of Brussels.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Elke Pattyn added that the 45-year-old’s condition “is not worrisome.”
Sophie Wilmes revealed on Saturday that she had caught the virus
Leader Belgium during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic, Ms Wilmes handed over power to Alexander de Croo on October 1 when she assumed her new post as foreign minister.
She confirmed on Twitter Saturday that she had tested positive for the virus after attending a meeting with their EU counterparts in Luxembourg days before.
The Austrian Foreign Minister also announced later that he had contracted the disease.
Despite this, Ms Wilmes said she believed she had contracted the virus within her family circle “given the precautions taken outside my home”.
On Thursday, Mr de Croo wished his predecessor a “speedy recovery” and added on Twitter: “Together we will defeat COVID-19.”
Charles Michel, another former Belgian Prime Minister and current President of the European Council, said: “All my affection and friendship for Sophie Wilmes, who led the national fight against COVID-19 and is now waging her own fight against the virus.”
“I sincerely wish him a speedy recovery.”
Belgium has been badly affected by the coronavirus and is now struggling under a huge surge in new cases.
The country of 11 million people has recorded more than 240,000 infections since the start of the pandemic, along with 10,000 deaths, and authorities have now warned that it could reach its capacity of 2,000 beds in intensive care units by mid-November if transmissions continue at the same level. Speed.
In the rest of Europe, both Spain Y France each has passed the milestone of 1 million cases, with the first imposing additional restrictions in an attempt to prevent a total shutdown.
The local government of the northern region of Aragon has closed the limits of the cities of Zaragoza, Huesca and Teruel, while other local authorities prepare to close the border regions completely.
Navarra, which has the worst weekly case rate in Spain, will close its regional borders later today.
La Rioja will do the same tomorrow.
Portugal, meanwhile, has announced a partial closure in three municipalities in the northern region to try to contain the spread of the virus.
Between October 30 and November 3, the areas of Felgueiras, Lousada and Paços de Ferreira will be advised to adhere to the stay-at-home measures.
