The prime minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson and the health secretary, Matt Hancock, have both tested positive for coronavirus. They revealed this on Friday as they now work from home.
The prime minister, who is 55, is expected to self-isolate for seven days in his flat above No 11 Downing Street after announcing that he had mild symptoms of a cough and temperature.
Johnson received the result at midnight, just hours after he was seen outside the door of No 10 clapping in support of NHS workers, alongside the chancellor, Rishi Sunak.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said on Friday: “The prime minister’s symptoms are mild and he is continuing to do all of the same functions he was performing before. The only difference is now he will have to do that by teleconferencing.”
Johnson’s spokesman said: “From the moment he had symptoms he took steps to ensure that he wasn’t in close contact with anyone.
“He did really want to take part in clapping NHS staff. It’s something he felt was important, but in taking part in that national moment he ensured he didn’t come into close contact with anyone.
“He stood outside No 10 at a very significant distance from the chancellor.”
On testing people who have been close to Johnson in recent days, he said: “No 10 is considered a workplace. The advice to staff here and the prime minister’s colleagues is they don’t need to do anything in terms of self-isolation unless they start to suspect that they have symptoms, in which case they should follow the Public Health England advice.”
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