Alok Sharma, cabinet minister in charge of Business in the Boris Johnson government who went into self-isolation on Wednesday evening, tested negative for coronavirus, he announced on Thursday evening.
Agra-born Sharma, 52, was visibly uneasy and sweating as he read out a statement to MPs in the House of Commons. He later went home to self-isolate and had a test for the virus, amidst growing concerns about parliament’s functioning during the pandemic.
Sharma tweeted: “Huge thanks to everyone for their really kind messages over the last 24 hours and my grateful thanks also to the parliamentary authorities and Speaker for their support yesterday. Just had results in and my test for #COVIDー19 was negative”.
While delivering the second reading of the corporate governance and insolvency bill, Sharma, who is also COP26 president, was seen repeatedly wiping his face with a handkerchief, while the shadow business secretary, Ed Miliband, passed him a glass of water.
His situation may have been caused by a bout of hay fever, Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said on Thursday morning.
Sharma’s condition brought into focus the new arrangements in the House of Commons, by which MPs who were in self-isolation were no longer allowed to participate or vote remotely but had to be present in person. It led to long queues around the Westminster complex on Tuesday during a vote.
Besides Johnson, who was hospitalised in a serious condition after contracting virus in April, health secretary Matt Hancock and defence secretary Ben Wallace have also been affected, among others.
{{/usCountry}}Besides Johnson, who was hospitalised in a serious condition after contracting virus in April, health secretary Matt Hancock and defence secretary Ben Wallace have also been affected, among others.
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