UK prime minister and health secretary say they have mild symptoms and will continue to lead Covid-19 response
Boris Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock have both tested positive for coronavirus and will have to work leading the government’s efforts to tackle the pandemic in isolation.
After the prime minister, who is 55, said he had mild symptoms and would self-isolate in Downing Street, Hancock posted a Twitter video saying that he too had mild symptoms and he would be able to continue.
Johnson posted a video on Friday morning on Twitter saying he had a temperature and a persistent cough. “I am working from home, I’m self-isolating, and that’s entirely the right thing to do,” he said.
In the video, which Johnson recorded himself on a mobile phone, he said: “Be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.”
Later, Hancock said he would be self-isolating until next Thursday.
“Fortunately for me the symptoms so far have been very mild so I’ve been able to carry on with the work driving forward the UK response,” he said. “I’ll be continuing to do everything I can to get our carers the support that they need. And I’ll be doing that from here but with no less gusto.”
“And then from next Thursday, once I’m out of self-isolation and I hope with no more symptoms, then I’ll be able to get back stuck in and into the office where necessary.”
Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who is five months pregnant, is also expected to enter self-isolation, away from the prime minister. There has been no word on whether she also has the virus.
The World Health Organization has said there is no evidence that pregnant women are at higher risk of severe illness than the general population if they contract Covid-19.
Its director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, offered his best wishes to Johnson.
MPs and world leaders were also quick to offer their best wishes.
They included Charles Michel, the president of the European council, and Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison.
Ian Blackford, the Scottish National party’s leader in the House of Commons, said the news showed no one was immune.
Earlier in the week it was announced that the Prince of Wales had “mild symptoms” of the disease. The Labour MP Angela Rayner, the favourite to become the party’s deputy leader, announced on Twitter that she was self-isolating after displaying symptoms.
The former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said the thoughts and prayers of the nation were with Johnson.
The shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, said it was a “hugely worrying time for everyone”.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty. The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.
“In keeping with the guidance, the prime minister is self-isolating in Downing Street. He is continuing to lead the government’s response to coronavirus.”
The Guardian
Lebanese Ministry of Information
