UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests Positive for coronavirus
Prime minister has mild symptoms and says he will still lead Covid-19 response
Coronavirus – latest global updates
Coronavirus – latest UK updates
See all our coronavirus coverage
Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds who is five months pregnant, is also expected to enter self-isolation, away from the prime minister. There has been no word on whether she has also contracted the virus.
The World Health Organization has said there is no evidence that pregnant women are at higher risk of severe illness than the general population if they contract Covid-19.
Its director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, offered his best wishes to Johnson.
Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus but has vowed to try to continue lead efforts to tackle the UK’s response to the pandemic while working from home.
The prime minister, who is 55, has mild symptoms and will self-isolate in Downing Street.
He posted a video on Friday morning on Twitter saying he had a temperature and a persistent cough. “I am working from home, I’m self-isolating, and that’s entirely the right thing to do,” he said.
In the video, which he recorded himself on a handheld phone, he said: “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.”
MPs and world leaders were also quick to offer their best wishes.
They included Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, and Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison.
Coronavirus latest: at a glance
A summary of the biggest developments in the global coronavirus outbreak
Follow our latest coronavirus blog for live news and updates
See all our coronavirus coverage
The British prime minister has tested positive for coronavirus
The British prime minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is exhibiting “mild symptoms”. In a video posted on Twitter, Johnson confirmed he had developed mild symptoms – “a temperature and persistent cough” – over the last 24 hours. Johnson, 55, said he was now self-isolating and working from home and would continue to lead the national fight back against the virus.
Spain records the highest single-day death toll
Spain recorded a new record single-day death toll. There have been 769 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 4,858. The previous record was 738, between Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The country now has 64,059 confirmed cases, up from 56,188 yesterday.
Spanish government withdraws coronavirus testing kits
The Spanish government has withdrawn 9,000 Chinese-made coronavirus testing kits from use after it emerged that they had an accurate detection rate of just 30%.
Iran cases rise to 32,332, number of deaths hits 2,378
The number of cases in Iran has risen to 32,332, while the number of deaths hits 2,378, according to the country’s health ministry.
Paris hospitals ‘to reach capacity in 48 hours’
A spike in coronavirus patients means hospitals in and around Paris will reach saturation point within 48 hours, said the head of the French Hospital Federation. The peak is not expected until April. The death toll nationwide as of Thursday evening stood at 1,696.
Covid-19 spreads across the African continent
Covid-19 continues its spread across the African continent with 3,243 cases and 83 deaths now recorded.
South Africa records first deaths from coronavirus
South Africa has reported its first deaths resulting from Covid-19, said health minister Dr. Zwelini Mkhize. There are now more than 1,000 cases in the country.
UK firefighters, retired police officers and former ambulance workers drafted in
Firefighters, retired police officers and former ambulance workers are being drafted in to stop the NHS from becoming overwhelmed. It comes as one in five police officers are off sick or self-isolating in areas worst hit by the virus.
0 Comments