Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Tuesday he had tested positive for COVID-19 and would isolate for seven days.

“I want to return to my work program as soon as possible, at least from home,” Fiala said on his Twitter account.

The news comes as the government’s proposal for extending the state of emergency in the country is set to be debated in the Chamber of Deputies, in order to ensure the successful management of the massive Ukrainian refugee influx.

“It is unlikely that the Ukrainian refugee wave will slow down in the next two months,” said Interior Minister Vít Rakušan.

The government says if the legal instrument is not extended a system under which Ukrainian refugees can get accommodation via regional assistance centres would cease to function.

Emergency purchases of essentials would also be impossible, says a government paper.

8,812 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the Czech Republic on Monday, which was a fall of 15 percent on the same day last week. There was a similar week-on-week percentage fall in the number of tests conducted.

There were 1,857 people in hospital with the coronavirus on Monday.