Syrian President Bashar Assad and his wife have tested positive for the coronavirus, the president’s office said Monday, with both of them just showing mild signs of the illness.
In a statement, the Assad office said the first couple underwent PCR tests after experiencing minor symptoms consistent with COVID-19 disease.
They said Assad, 55, and his wife Asma will return to work after spending between two and three weeks alone in their home. Both were in “good health and in stable condition,” he said.
Asthma was treated for early stage breast cancer almost three years ago and in 2019 she publicly stated that she has completely recovered and was officially cancer free.
Syria, which marks the 10th anniversary of war next week, has recorded nearly 16,000 cases of virus in government-controlled parts of the country as well as 1,063 deaths, but it is believed that the -numbers higher with very few PCR tests being performed.
Syria launched a vaccination campaign last week, but no information has been provided about the process. The health minister said the government received the vaccines from a friendly country, which he declined to name.
The news comes days after international and Israeli media reports revealed that Israel paid $ 1.2 million to Russia to provide coronavirus vaccines to the Syrian government, as part of a deal that ensured an Israeli woman was killed. held in Damascus released.
The terms of the covert trade negotiated with Moscow remained false; Damascus denied that it had happened and Russia had no idea. It was not immediately clear whether Assad and his family members had been vaccinated.