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German president infected with new coronavirus variant, wife also tests positive

German President infected with coronavirus: German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender contracted coronavirus.

German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender contract coronavirus. (picture courtesy of Facebook page)

Tagesschau daily reported that the presidents’ spokesman had confirmed that both had tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday and that their symptoms were mild.

Steinmeier and his wife were immediately confined to their home in efforts to isolate them from the public and all those whom they had come in contact with recently were informed of their infection.

The German president earned another term in office in February this year and will be assuming the seat for the next 5 years. Before becoming president of Germany, he served twice as foreign minister in Angela Merkel’s government and was the chief of staff of his predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder.

His infection comes in a most timely manner – just as Germany prepares to ease most of it’ coronavirus restrictions even despite the rising number of infections. The day will be celebrated by many and has been dubbed ‘Freedom day’.

READ ABOUT IT HERE: Germany to retain some COVID-19 restrictions after March 20th – ‘Freedom Day’

On Tuesday, the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin (RKI) announced that over 222,000 new infections and 264 deaths had been reported in the last 24 hours. The total number of people in Germany who have lost their lives due to the new coronavirus is already 127,193.