British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he has tested positive for coronavirus and was self isolating but will still lead the government's response to the outbreak.
A Downing Street spokesman said Mr Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday - a day after he answered at the prime minister's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament's House of Commons chamber.
"Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus," Mr Johnson said. "I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus."
It was not immediately clear how many Downing Street staff and senior ministers would now need to isolate given that many have had contact with Johnson over recent days and weeks.
When Britain clapped health workers on Thursday evening, Johnson and his finance minister Rishi Sunak came out of separate entrances on Downing Street and did not come into close contact, according to a Reuters photographer at the scene.
Previously the government has said that Mr Johnson had the option to delegate to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab if needed.
"The prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty," the spokesman said.
"The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive," the spokesman said.
So far, 578 people in the United Kingdom have died after testing positive for coronavirus and the number of confirmed cases has risen to 11,658. The UK toll is the seventh worst in the world, after Italy, Spain, China, Iran, France and the United States, according to a Reuters tally.
Britain's Prince Charles, the 71-year-old heir to the British throne, tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week but is in good health and is now self-isolating at his residence in Scotland with mild symptoms along with his wife Camilla, who tested negative, his office said.
A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said the Queen last saw the prime minister on 11 March and is following all appropriate advice.
Johnson is the first leader of a major power to announce a positive test result for coronavirus. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went into isolation this month after his wife tested positive for the virus.
US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have both been tested, so far with negative results.
Mr Trump, in remarks at the White House, said he spoke with Mr Johnson on Friday to wish him a speedy recovery.
Mr Johnson chaired a government meeting on the coronavirus on Friday morning via teleconference.
Britain has recorded more than 14,500 coronavirus cases and the death toll had risen to 759 as of Thursday afternoon, up by nearly a third in 24 hours.
It is the seventh highest official death toll after Italy, Spain, China, Iran, the United States and France.
Share
