The King and Queen of Sweden test positive for Covid-19
Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia have tested positive for covid-19, the palace stated on Tuesday.
Both are in their 70s and therefore in a high-risk category.
“The king and queen, who have been fully vaccinated with three injections, have mild symptoms and are well, given the circumstances,” the palace said.
“The royal couple has isolated themselves at home in accordance with the rules and contact tracking is ongoing.”
The 75-year-old king and his 78-year-old wife are the latest members of Sweden’s royal family infected with the virus.
In March last year, the couple’s eldest daughter, Crown Princess Victoria, and her husband Prince Daniel tested positive.
In November 2020, the King and Queen’s son Prince Carl Philip and his wife Princess Sofia became infected with the coronavirus.
Sweden, like many other European nations, has been hit by a new wave of Covid-19 infections in recent weeks, spurred on by the Omicron variant.
Omicron is more transmissible than the Delta variant but produces less severe symptoms.
The country registered 11,507 cases on December 30, the health authorities’ data showed on Tuesday, when a fourth wave of the virus puts healthcare under renewed pressure.
Updated: January 4, 2022, 4:29 p.m.