Dutch Foreign Min. tests positive for Covid

The new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wopke Hoekstra, is infected with the coronavirus. Late on Wednesday evening, he said on Twitter that he "unfortunately received a positive test result." He will remain in quarantine for the time being, which he was already in after one of his children tested positive earlier in the day.

Hoekstra will be working from home for the next few days. "Fortunately, I have no symptoms," he said. The Minister was in Brussels on Tuesday. It was his first trip in his new position. He spoke there with the foreign chief of the European Union, Josep Borrel, and his Belgian counterpart Sophie Wilmes. According to Belgian rules, Borrel and Wilmes do not have to quarantine. In France, where the two will meet with other foreign ministers in Brest in the coming days, quarantine is not mandatory for Hoekstra's contacts.

Hoekstra was also supposed to visit the French city of Brest in the coming days, where he wanted to meet his colleagues from other European countries. Because he was previously Minister of Finance, he already knows most of his colleagues. Due to the positive Covid-19 test, Hoekstra won't travel to France.

One of his children got positive results from a Covid-19 self-test on Wednesday morning, but other family members tested negative, according to Hoekstra. He was already in quarantine as a precaution.