Brussels First Minister Rudi Vervoort tests positive for coronavirus
The First Minister in the government of the Brussels-Capital Region Rudi Vervoort (Francophone socialist) has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The news that Mr Vervoort had tested positive was disclosed by his spokesperson on Thursday evening. Mr Vervoort is reported to currently be asymptomatic.
On Wednesday Mr Vervoort held a press conference during which extra measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in the capital were announced. These include the closure of bars, pubs, cafés and tea houses for a period of 1 month.
On Tuesday he took part in the Consultative Committee that is made up of members of Belgium’s federal, regional and language community governments. It was at that meeting that the stricter measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus that came into force today were decided.
The other members of the Consultative Commitee, including Belgium’s new Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Flemish liberal), won’t be going into preventative quarantine to get tested. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister told VRT News “The discussions took place in a large hall at the Egmont Palace where social distancing could be upheld. Face masks were worn so there was no close contact”.
On Wednesday the whole Brussels regional government went into preventative quarantine after it emerged that the Brussels Finance Minister Sven Gatz (Flemish liberal) had tested positive for coronavirus. Both Mr Gatz and Mr Vervoort will now isolate for 7 days.