President Michael D Higgins tests positive for Covid-19

Sabina Higgins also tests positive after President displayed mild symptoms on Friday

President Michael D Higgins and his wife, Sabina, have tested positive for Covid-19, it was confirmed on Friday.

Mr Higgins began to display mild symptoms on Friday morning and took an antigen test, which came back positive for Covid-19. Mrs Higgins also tested positive for the virus.

A spokesman said the 80-year-old would continue to work from home at Áras an Uachtaráin while he isolates for the next seven days as required.

Public events in Áras an Uachtaráin had not been taking place due to Covid-19, but Mr Higgins had been due to attend an event at a school on Friday afternoon.

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Statistics

The spokesman confirmed both Mr Higgins and his wife had received their booster vaccines.

The latest Department of Health figures show that 4,033 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed by PCR test in the State while a further 4,304 people registered a positive antigen test.

In Northern Ireland, 38 deaths linked to the virus were recorded in the latest weekly statistics. Another 2,236 confirmed cases of the disease have also been notified.

Jack Power

Jack Power

Jack Power is a reporter with The Irish Times