Slovakia’s President Zuzana Caputova will self-isolate at home until Friday as a precaution after one of her aides came into contact with someone who had tested positive for Covid, her spokesman said.
The president has cancelled her engagements, including a meeting on Wednesday with the head of the Czech Senate, Milos Vystrcil and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen.
Slovakia has been praised for its response to the pandemic. It was one of the first countries in Europe to close its borders and introduce mandatory mask-wearing even before the first cases were reported.
The EU and NATO member, which has a population of 5.5 million, has so far recorded just 1,589 positive cases. The majority have now recovered. A total of 28 people have died.
Slovakia has eased its lockdown in recent weeks, and is currently allowing in tourists from 19 countries, mostly in central and eastern Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic states. Tourists from the rest of Europe are not permitted to enter.
