Luxembourg prime minister hospitalized following positive COVID-19 test

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel was hospitalized with COVID-19 on Sunday, more than a week after testing positive for coronavirus.

The Associated Press reported that Bettel was coughing and had headaches and a fever, but was not experiencing any life-threatening conditions.

The prime minister revealed that he tested positive for the virus days after taking part in the two-day European Union Summit in Brussels with 26 other leaders, the AP noted.

He had already received his first COVID-19 vaccine dose when he tested positive, and was set to get his second AstraZeneca shot on July 1, according to the news service.

Summit organizers, however, reportedly said they were confident that COVID-19 precautions were followed, and no other leaders who attended the summit have tested positive for the virus since the meeting.

A Luxembourg government official told the AP that “the problem is that the symptoms have not fully disappeared over the past week.” Bettel has reportedly been working remotely and interacting with others through video conference as much as possible since he began isolating last week.

He was reportedly transported to the hospital for 24 hours of testing and medical analysis on Sunday. He remained in the hospital on Monday afternoon, but could be released later in the day.

A spokeswoman for the European Commission said Bettel was doing relatively well.

“We understand — and we certainly hope — that it’s not serious, and it’s for checks,” European Commission spokeswoman Dana Spinant said, according to the AP.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, wished Bettel a “speedy recovery,” writing on Twitter that she “hope[s] to see you soon in good health.”

“In the meantime, rest and take good care of yourself,” she added.

Dear @Xavier_Bettel, I wish you a very speedy recovery and hope to see you soon in good health.

In the meantime, rest and take good care of yourself.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 5, 2021

Luxembourg has reported more than 71,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 800 deaths since the pandemic began, according to the World Health Organization.

As of June 27, more than 505,000 coronavirus vaccine doses have also been administered in the country.