Economy minister Franz Fayot tested positive for coronavirus Library photo: Romain Gamba

Economy minister Franz Fayot tested positive for coronavirus Library photo: Romain Gamba

Luxembourg’s economy minister Franz Fayot (LSAP) is the latest member of government to test positive for the coronavirus just days after the country lifted most pandemic restrictions.

Fayot tested positive as part of a routine self-test with the result confirmed by a PCR test, the government said in a press release on Monday. The economy minister is showing mild symptoms but will continue to work from home.

At the end of February, finance minister Yuriko Backes (DP) tested positive for coronavirus as well as foreign affairs minister Jean Asselborn (LSAP). Other ministers who have caught the virus in recent months include agriculture minister Claude Haagen (LSAP), interior minister Taina Bofferding (LSAP), justice minister Sam Tanson (déi Gréng) and housing minister Henri Kox (déi Gréng).

Luxembourg on 11 March voted to , with the mask mandate lifted except on public transport, hospitals, care homes and prison facilities. The CovidCheck regime has also been dropped, except in hospitals, care home and prison facilities.

But lawmakers on Friday warned that the pandemic isn’t over following a report by the covid-19 task force that warned of waning immunity and a possible surge of infections in the second half of the week.

In January, Grand Duke Henri tested positive for the coronavirus. Prime minister Xavier Bettel (DP) last year spent several days in hospital for complications caused by a coronavirus infection. He was only partially vaccinated at the time, having received his first AstraZeneca jab.

Fayot last week visited Germany, announcing plans for a in Luxembourg and signing a first cooperation agreement to in the field to the grand duchy.