German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after traveling to Saudi Arabia over the weekend.

His government spokesman Steffen Hebstreit said he had mild symptoms of a cold and immediately went into isolation, Der Spiegel reported. 

At the weekend, the chancellor was on a several-day trip to the Persian Gulf, mainly to clarify energy issues.

Before starting his trip he took a PCR test which was negative.

According to government sources, he tested negative again on Sunday.

Scholz was in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar for talks.

In Abu Dhabi on Sunday, the chancellor stressed the importance of using as many suppliers as possible.

Olaf Scholz: The UAE will start supplying gas and diesel to Germany this year

Dependence on one supplier "is certainly not going to happen to us again," he said, referring to Russia.

In Germany, all patients with COVID-19 must remain in quarantine for ten days.

In the absence of symptoms, a new test is performed after the fifth day at the earliest.

Olaf Scholz

coronavirus