MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar Chief Minister tests positive for COVID-19 on return from UK

Picardo was asymptomatic and his condition was detected in the PCR taken within 24 hours after arrival from the UK

Gibraltar Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo QC MP, tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday upon his return from the United Kingdom. Mrs Picardo, who travelled with the Chief Minister, has tested negative.

Mr Picardo was asymptomatic and his condition was detected in the PCR taken within 24 hours after arriving from the UK.

As a result of this outcome, Mr Picardo is required to self-isolate at home. This will require that all his appointments should be cancelled, including attendance at the Conservative Party Conference to host the Gibraltar Government reception and attendance at the Fourth Committee hearing at the United Nations, which was scheduled for next Tuesday and for which Mr Picardo had obtained a diplomatic visa for travel.

Alternative arrangements are being made for both these appointments.

The Chief Minister said: “I feel perfectly well and have come home as required by the Contact Tracing Bureau. I know this is an important time for Gibraltar, so, to an extent, I am happy to have got the disease now so that I am able, hopefully, to continue to deal with the negotiations to come on the UK/EU Treaty in Gibraltar's future relationship with the EU. For now, alternative arrangements are being made for engagements in the next ten days. I have had no symptoms whatsoever and have therefore been in contact with many people in the past 24 hours since my arrival in Gibraltar. The test result will now require me to share that data with the Contact Tracing Bureau.”