Spanish King Felipe VI tests positive for COVID-19

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Spain’s King Felipe VI tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, the Royal Palace said in a statement.

The 54-year-old Spanish monarch has mild symptoms and will isolate for seven days.

“The general state of his majesty’s health is good, and he will carry on with his institutional activity from his residence,” said the statement.

Queen Letizia and their daughter Princess Sofia are showing no symptoms and will not isolate for now, following Spain's current rules.

Like 91% of the entire Spanish population aged 12 and older, all the members of the royal family have been vaccinated.

While Spain’s COVID-19 infection rate has almost halved since the sixth wave peaked in mid-January, it remains high compared to past waves.

Nearly 1,900 out of every 100,000 people in Spain were infected in the past two weeks.

The king’s infection comes the day before Spain will stop requiring people to wear masks in outdoor spaces.