The chancellery said on Friday that Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer had tested positive for the coronavirus, but that he was under self-isolation and showing no symptoms. "There is no reason to be concerned; I am OK and doing well," Nehammer said, according to the chancellery. According to the chancellery, the infection happened on Wednesday evening as a result of interaction with a member of his security staff, who tested positive on Thursday.

Nehammer, a Republican who has been vaccinated three times, is handling official business from his home through video and telephone conferences and will not be attending any public events in the coming days. According to the chancellery, Nehammer's wife and children tested negative. The news came as Nehammer, 49, announced additional steps on Thursday aimed at halting the pandemic's spread, including plans to make vaccines mandatory starting next month.

Between November and December of last year, Austria managed to reduce daily Covid-19 cases with another lockdown, but the Omicron variant is pushing the numbers up again.

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