The National Assembly will remain closed until Saturday after a reporter covering the ruling party tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week.

The National Assembly Secretariat said on Thursday that it made the decision to focus on disinfection efforts to make sure the regular session begins as scheduled on Tuesday. 

The assembly is expected to reopen on Monday as long as there are no additional infections. 

The expanded shutdown has delayed or canceled all sessions of parliamentary standing committees set for Friday.

The National Assembly shut down late Wednesday after a photojournalist who covered the Democratic Party's supreme council meeting earlier in the day tested positive.