UK Prime Minister, Health Secretary test positive for COVID-19

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday (March 27) that he has tested positive for coronavirus after experiencing mild symptoms and is now self-isolating at 10 Downing Street in line with the medical advice.

In a video message posted on social media, the UK prime minister said that he will continue to lead the UK governments response to the deadly virus, which has claimed 578 lives.

“Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus,” he said on Twitter.

“I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus,” he added.

A Downing Street spokesperson said that after experiencing mild symptoms on Thursday, the prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.

Within an hour of Mr Johnson’s tweet, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced on Twitter that he too has tested positive for coronavirus.

The test was carried out in No 10 Downing Street by National Health Service (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 governments response to coronavirus, the spokesperson said.

Earlier this week, the British prime minister called the rapid coronavirus tests a game changer and said his government had ordered 3.5 million of them.

The U.K. hopes the tests will allow people who have had COVID-19 and recovered to go back to work, safe in the knowledge that they are immune, at least for now. That could ease the countrys economic lockdown and bring back health care workers who are being quarantined out of fears they may have the virus. Many scientists have been cautious, saying it’s unclear if the rapid tests provide accurate results.

(With inputs from agencies)