Swedish Prime Minister has virus after parliamentary debate | Magnet
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has tested positive for covid-19, her office states.
The Swedish leader had participated in a debate in the Riksdag with other party leaders earlier this week and at least two other top politicians have also tested positive since then.
Her office tells the Swedish news agency TT that Andersson follows “the current recommendations and will carry out his work from home”.
Andersson is fine, her office said.
After Wednesday’s debate in the Riksdag with 349 seats, the Center leader Annie Loof and Per Bolund, head of the small Green Party, also tested positive.
The latter coughed when he spoke to the media afterwards.
On Twitter, Bolund wrote on Thursday that a quick test gave him the result and he immediately went into isolation according to the Swedish Public Health Agency’s recommendations.
Other party leaders who participated in the debate have all tested negative, says SVT.
Andersson, former Minister of Finance, became Sweden’s first female Prime Minister in November.
She is the leader of the Social Democratic Party.
During most of the pandemic, Sweden stood out among the European countries for its comparatively practical response.
The Scandinavian country never locked up or closed companies, but instead relied on citizens’ sense of civic duty to control infections.
The authorities have emphasized individual responsibility instead of state health measures.
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