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After Prince Charles, PM Boris Johnson hit by coronavirus
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed on Friday that he has tested positive for coronavirus and will remain in isolation in Downing Street. This was soon followed with similar messages by health secretary Matt Hancock and chief medical officer Chris Whitty.
Johnson, 55, has been leading the UK government’s response to the pandemic with Hancock and Whitty, among other key figures such as chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance. Whitty and Vallance have often joined Johnson at daily briefings.
The three top figures in the fight against the virus testing positive was followed by figures of the sharpest rise in the number of daily deaths in the UK: 759 dead (up from 578 on Thursday), and 14,579 cases. Large exhibition centres in London, Birmingham and Manchester are being turned into hospitals with military help.
Johnson said he will continue to lead the government response to coronavirus from home, but if he is unable to perform his duties as the prime minister, Downing Street announced earlier this week that foreign secretary Dominic Raab will take charge of the UK government.
Hancock has been closely involved in the response, including stacking boxes of masks and protective equipment to be transported to medical staff across the UK.
Johnson’s announcement sparked a flood of messages on social media from people inside and outside the UK, including by leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who tweeted: “You’re a fighter and you will overcome this challenge as well. Prayers for your good health and best wishes in ensuring a healthy UK”.
Johnson took part in the nation-wide applause to NHS workers at 8pm on Thursday outside the door of No 10, Downing Street, along with chancellor Rishi Sunak. Johnson’s partner, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, is also in self-isolation.
Prince Charles, who tested positive while in Scotland, thanked people for support. His office in Clarence House said: “He is enormously touched by your kind words”. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip have moved to Windsor Castle.
WATCH| UK PM Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus, says he’s self-isolating
Johnson said in the video message: “I want to bring you up to speed on something that’s happening today which is that I’ve developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That’s to say - a temperature and a persistent cough.
“And, on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, I’ve taken a test. That has come out positive. So I am working from home. I’m self-isolating. And that’s entirely the right thing to do. But 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”.
Johnson is unlikely to appear in the daily press briefings in Downing Street, at which journalists are no longer physically present but put their questions through video-link from homes. Thursday’s briefing was held by Sunak, who has not been tested since he does not have symptoms so far, officials said.
Johnson remained upbeat in his message but reiterated his core message in recent days: ‘Stay at home’.
He said: “I want to thank everybody who’s working to keep our country going through this epidemic. And we will get through it. And the way we’re going to get through it is, of course, by applying the measures that you’ll have heard so much about”.
“And the more effectively we all comply with those measures, the faster our country will come through this epidemic and the faster we’ll bounce back. So thank you to everybody who’s doing what I’m doing, working from home, to stop the spread of the virus from household to household”.
