Claude Turmes, Luxembourg's Minister for Energy and Spatial Planning; Credit: SIP

Luxembourg's Minister for Energy and Spatial Planning, Claude Turmes, has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Ministry for Energy and Spatial Planning confirmed in a statement that Minister Claude Turmes received today a positive result after taking a COVID-19 test on Tuesday.

The minister was first tested on Friday 25 September 2020 following the discovery that a person with whom he had been in prolonged contact had become infected with coronavirus. Whilst this first test came back negative, the minister immediately began self-isolating at home as a preventative measure. Four days later, the second test came back positive. The ministry noted that there is no health risk to others since he was already in quarantine.

According to the statement, Minister Claude Turmes is doing well at present and is not displaying any symptoms of the virus. He will remain in quarantine until 8 October 2020.

The Energy Minister commented: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the competent authorities and also the care staff. Thanks to the professional guidance and precise recommendations, many chains of infection can be quickly interrupted here in Luxembourg".

According to other local media sources, another political figure, Georges Engel, the leader of the LSAP parliamentary group, also recently tested positive for the virus. He will remain in quarantine until 5 October 2020.