LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he has examined constructive for the coronavirus.
Taking to Twitter on Friday, Johnson wrote: “During the last 24 hours I’ve developed delicate signs and examined constructive for coronavirus. I’m now self-isolating, however I’ll proceed to steer the federal government’s response through videoconference as we struggle this virus.”
Johnson additionally shared a video message wherein he as soon as once more urged Britons to “keep at dwelling” to cease the unfold of the virus.
Johnson, 55, was final seen in public applauding health-care employees on Thursday evening from the door of 10 Downing Road as part of a nationwide celebration of the front-line nurses and docs.
Johnson has lately appeared in good well being. After preliminary hesitation to embrace the strict measures pursued elsewhere in Europe to sluggish the unfold of the coronavirus, the prime minister lately modified course and commenced to carry his conferences through videoconference, sitting at a desk alone and a big TV display.
The prime minister — whose fiancee, Carrie Symonds, is pregnant — appeared on the authorities’s every day information convention two days in the past.
On his physician’s advice, Johnson will isolate himself for seven days and can forgo public appearances and group conferences.
In a while Friday, Chris Witty, chief medical officer in England, tweeted that he was additionally experiencing signs in line with covid-19, the illness attributable to the coronavirus. He mentioned he “shall be self-isolating at dwelling for the following seven days” however will proceed to advise the federal government on its medical response to the outbreak.
Buckingham Palace mentioned Queen Elizabeth II final noticed the prime minister on March 11 and “stays in good well being,” local news outlets reported. After her son, Prince Charles, tested positive for the virus, the queen left the palace to remain at Windsor Fortress, west of London.
Inside an hour of Johnson’s disclosure that he has the coronavirus, Britain’s well being secretary, Matt Hancock, additionally introduced that he has examined constructive. In a video message shared on Twitter, Hancock said: “Upon medical recommendation, I used to be examined, and that check has been constructive. . . . Fortuitously for me, these signs up to now have been very delicate.”
Hancock mentioned he would isolate himself till subsequent Thursday and had been working from dwelling in latest days.
Johnson is the primary chief of the Group of 20 nations to check constructive for the virus. Two others — German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — have entered self-quarantine over considerations that they could have been uncovered to the virus.
In Russia, one other G-20 nation, a presidential administration worker has examined constructive for the coronavirus, however that particular person didn’t are available contact with President Vladimir Putin, spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned Friday.