Germany’s Merkel tests negative in initial coronavirus test

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has tested negative in an initial test for the novel coronavirus, a spokesperson confirmed Monday.

“Further tests will be taken in the coming days” to confirm Merkel is in good health, spokesman Steffen Seibert said, according to Bloomberg.

Merkel entered quarantine late Sunday upon learning that her doctor had tested positive after giving her a precautionary bacterial pneumonia immunization the previous Friday.

Merkel on Monday presided over an emergency cabinet meeting via video link, during which the cabinet agreed to a financial stimulus package worth more than 750 billion euros amid the ongoing pandemic.

“I’ve canceled almost all appointments where people would have come into the chancellery or where I would have gone to people,” Merkel said Sunday in a news conference before entering isolation. “So my life has also changed fundamentally and consists mainly of telephone and video conferences.”

The German stimulus package is also slated to increase borrowing by up to 150 billion euros and establish a bailout fund of about 500 billion euros for critical industries. Germany has seen 24,873 confirmed cases of the virus and 94 deaths as of Monday.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also in isolation after his wife tested positive.