Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday morning, she announced on her Twitter account. “I isolate myself to protect others and continue to carry out my duties from a distance,” she added, in accordance with the recommendations in force.
The minister was tested positive while she was carrying out a precautionary test with a view to traveling to the United States as part of Emmanuel Macron’s state visit, his entourage told Le Parisien.
Rima Abdul Malak had notably participated at the start of the week in a European Council of Ministers of Culture with her counterparts of the 27. She had also taken a test before her departure for Brussels, which was very negative, underlines the entourage of the minister.
The minister’s positive test comes as a ninth wave of Covid-19 is currently hitting France and the Prime Minister asked the French on Tuesday to wear the mask again in transport and with the most vulnerable.
Elisabeth Borne spoke of “small gestures that save lives” also to relieve caregivers in hospitals already mobilized in the face of the flu and the bronchiolitis epidemic.