EU chief in self-isolation after COVID-19 contact

By Rabia Iclal Turan

ANKARA (AA) - The European Commission president said Monday that she is self-isolating due to contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19.

“I’ve been informed that I participated in a meeting last Tuesday attended by a person who yesterday tested positive for COVID-19. In accordance with regulations in force, I’m therefore self-isolating until tomorrow morning,” Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter.

The German politician added that she tested negative for the virus last week, and was tested again Monday.

She is not the first senior EU official to be quarantined in recent weeks.

Last month, European Council President Charles Michel went into self-quarantine after a security guard in his team contracted the novel virus.

As a result, the two-day EU Council meeting, scheduled for Sept. 24, was postponed until Oct. 1.

The summit went ahead on Thursday and Friday last week, and was attended by Von der Leyen. Hot topics such as Eastern Mediterranean, Belarus and Brexit were discussed.