Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky tests positive for coronavirus; confirmed cases in country cross 2,500-mark

Owner of the Czech energy conglomerate EPH Daniel Kretinsky has tested positive for coronavirus. The business magnate had tested positive on 12 March and has been in self-isolation since then.

As per a report in Bloomberg , Kretinsky said he is running his businesses from isolation and spends 12 hours daily on the phone. He revealed he has no symptoms apart from a slight cold.

Kretinsky has said that even though companies have been hit by the coronavirus pandemic, the blow is not fatal and he will continue to diversify outside the energy sector.

The 44-year-old businessman is the highest-profile Czech citizen to have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Czech Republic has seen over 2,500 cases being recorded and a total of 17 deaths. The coronavirus pandemic has affected over 7 lakh people around the world, killing over 30,000.

According to Bloomberg, Kretinsky’s EPH had 7 billion euros of revenue in 2018. The company’s assets in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, UK, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Poland are valued at around 13.3 billion euros.

Kretinsky has investments in fields other than the energy sector. He is the co-owner and president of Sparta Prague, one of the most popular football clubs of his country. He also has investments in French newspaper Le Monde and German entertainment company ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, the report added.