Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma have tested positive for COVID-19 with both having only mild symptoms of the illness., the president’s office said in a statement on Monday.
In the statement, Assad’s office said the first couple did PCR tests after they felt minor symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 illness. It said that Assad, 55, and his wife Asma, will return to work after spending between two to three weeks in isolation in their home.
Both were in “good health and in stable condition,” it added.
Syria, which marks 10 years of war next week, has recorded nearly 16,000 virus cases in government-held parts of the country as well as 1,063 deaths, but the numbers are believed to be much higher with limited amounts of PCR tests being done.