- Merkel decided to immediately quarantine herself in her home, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said.
- She will be tested regularly over the coming days and will continue to conduct her duties as chancellor from home, Seibert said.
- Germany, the European Union’s largest economy, has banned meetings of more than two people in public for the next two weeks to contain the spreading virus.
- Exceptions will be made for people who live together and for work-related gatherings.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has made the decision to self-quarantine in her home after having contact with a doctor who tested positive for the coronavirus, making her the latest world leader to take precautions after possible exposure to the rapidly spreading disease.
Merkel was informed after a press conference Sunday that a doctor who administered a pneumococcal vaccine to her Friday afternoon tested positive for the virus, according to her spokesman Steffen Seibert.
Merkel decided to immediately quarantine herself in her home, Seibert said. She will be tested regularly over the coming days and will continue to conduct her duties as chancellor from home. Her decision to self-quarantine comes as the coronavirus pandemic continues to escalate across Europe.
Earlier Sunday, Merkel announced that Germany was banning meetings of more than two people in public for the next two weeks to contain the spreading virus, bringing life in the European Union’s largest economy to a virtual standstill. Exceptions to the rules are being made for people who live together and for work-related gatherings