French PM Jean Castex tests Covid positive

Paris: French Prime Minister Jean Castex has tested positive for Covid-19, the media reported.

Returning from Brussels on Monday afternoon after meeting with his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo, Castex learnt that one of his daughters had tested positive for the virus, Xinhua news agency quoted French newspaper Le Figaro as saying in a report.

De Croo will be tested on Wednesday and will remain in quarantine until the result of his test, local media reported.

Several senior members of the Belgian government will also go into quarantine to avoid any risks.

French ministers in the delegation include Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly, Interior minister Gerald Darmanin, Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti, and Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Beaune.

Castex "immediately got a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, which turned out to be positive", the newspaper cited the Prime Minister's office as saying.

The schedule of the French head of government is to be modified for the coming days in order for him to continue working in his isolation.