Spanish princess quarantined after classmate diagnosed with COVID-19

FILE PHOTO: Spain’s Princess Leonor waves her hand during a visit at the education centre “Naum” in Palma de Mallorca, Spain August 11, 2020. REUTERS/Enrique Calvo

BARCELONA (Reuters) – Princess Leonor, the heir to the Spanish throne, has gone into quarantine after a classmate at her school tested positive for COVID-19, the royal household said on Saturday.

The 14-year-old daughter of King Felipe will be tested for coronavirus like other pupils in her class at the Santa MarĂ­a de los Rosales school in Madrid.

The king and Queen Letizia will continue their royal duties for the moment, a spokesman for the royal household said, as Spain struggles to control a surge in coronavirus cases.

Eight million Spanish children returned to school last week but some have closed or classes been sent home after pupils tested positive for COVID-19, while authorities in Galicia delayed the start of term by a week for pupils aged 14 to 18.

Spain reported 4,708 new coronavirus infections on Friday, bringing its cumulative total to 566,326, the highest in western Europe, as its total COVID-19 death toll rose to 29,747.

Reporting by Graham Keeley; Editing by Alexander Smith

source: reuters.com