Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus 

 

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at his Downing Street residence but said he would still lead the government's response to the accelerating outbreak.

 

Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday, a day after he answered questions at the prime minister's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament's House of Commons chamber. He received the positive test result at around midnight.

 

"I've taken a test. That has come out positive," Johnson said on Friday in a video statement broadcast on Twitter. "I've developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That's to say - a temperature and a persistent cough.
 

"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."

 

Health minister Matt Hancock, another senior member of the British government's response, said he had also tested positive and was self-isolating at home with mild symptoms. The government's top medical adviser also said he had symptoms.

 

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 earlier this month after his wife tested positive for the virus.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have both been tested, so far with negative results.

 

Johnson chaired a government meeting on the coronavirus on Friday morning via teleconference.

 

His designated deputy is foreign minister Dominic Raab. It was not immediately clear what the contingency plan was if senior ministers were incapacitated.

 

Britain has recorded more than 14,500 cases of the illness and the death toll shot up to 759 as of Thursday afternoon, up by nearly a third in 24 hours. This is the seventh highest official death toll in the world after Italy, Spain, China, Iran, the United States and France.

 

MODEST EARLY APPROACH

 

The coronavirus is the worst global health crisis since the 1918 influenza epidemic. Britain, which has the world's fifth largest economy, initially took an approach to containing the spread of the disease that was modest in comparison to European countries such as Italy.

 

But Johnson changed tack and imposed stringent controls after projections showed a quarter of a million people could die. On Monday he banned Britons from leaving their homes for all non-essential reasons, effectively shutting down large parts of the economy.

 

Now he is in isolation too.

 

"I am working from home. I’m self-isolating," Johnson said.

 

 

It was unclear where he was infected or how staff and ministers would need to isolate themselves after dozens of daily meetings, including news conferences, in Downing Street.

 

Johnson last appeared at a news conference on Wednesday, flanked by the government's chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, and England's Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty. The event was closed, with journalists asking questions by video link.

 

A spokesman said that the moment Johnson felt symptoms he took steps to avoid close contact, adding that ministers would need to self-isolate if they developed symptoms.

 

Whitty said on Friday he was experiencing symptoms and would also self-isolate.

 

The official guidance is for people to stand two metres (around six feet) apart to prevent contagion. This was not always adhered to for some of Johnson's earlier press conferences, when he appeared with other top officials, although the distance between lecterns had been increased by Wednesday.

 

MEALS AT THE DOOR

 

Johnson will have his meals delivered to the door of an apartment at Number 11 Downing Street, while he self-isolates for seven days from the warren of corridors and rooms that make up the seat of British political power at Number 10 Downing Street.

 

"The doors between Number 10 and Number 11 have been closed off to all other staff who work in the building," a Downing Street spokesman said. "The PM will work from the office and the study in Number 11."

 

His finance minister, Rishi Sunak, who traditionally works out of Number 11, is not self-isolating, a Treasury source said.

 

Johnson's office would not say if his 32-year-old partner, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, had been tested. However Johnson's seven-day quarantine, rather than a lengthier 14-day period for infected households, implied she was not currently living with him.

 

Britons paid tribute to health workers on Thursday evening by clapping and cheering from doorways. Johnson and Sunak took part, but came out of separate entrances on Downing Street and did not come into close contact.

 

Queen Elizabeth last saw Johnson on March 11 and she remains in good health, Buckingham Palace said. The 93-year-old monarch usually sees the prime minister once a week but has recently conducted the regular audience by telephone.

 

Prince Charles, the 71-year-old heir to the British throne, tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week. He is in good health and is now self-isolating at his residence in Scotland with mild symptoms.

 

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, Kate Holton, William James, Michael Holden and Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Frances Kerry and Jon Boyle)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-27

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[URMySunshine]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8159701/Boris-Johnson-tests-positive-coronavirus-crisis-grips-UK.html

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by URMySunshine

[Puchaiyank]

The main question of course is did he go to the front of the line to be tested...or like Prince Charles, patiently wait his turn like an common person.

 

This question seems to be of utmost importance in this part of the world...

[OneMoreFarang]

This will be an interesting experience for him.

I wish him all the best!

[scubascuba3]

He won't have the same issues as us of getting access to a ventilator so should be fine

[vogie]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

He won't have the same issues as us of getting access to a ventilator so should be fine

Nor should he, he's running the country for Christs sake. RHIP...........Rank has its privileges.

[URMySunshine]

Dominic Raab is the 'designated survivor'. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but at least there isn’t much chance he’ll give it to his kids.

Edited March 27, 2020 by URMySunshine

[Chomper Higgot]

I don’t like the bloke but I wish him a swift and full recovery.

[Misty]

I wish him the best. Guess he won't be getting a haircut anytime soon.

[monkfish]

Wasn't he in Parliament the other day? Super Spreader?
Get better soon bru.
 

[johng]

31 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

The main question of course is did he go to the front of the line to be tested...or like Prince Charles, patiently wait his turn like an common person.

I'm sure they both had enough money to pay for a fast track test,not really jumping the cue..if you have the money  you can get a quick result  if not wait for a freebie  Its the "unfortunate" way of the world.

[Jane Dough]

We shall fight it on the beaches.

We shall fight it on the couches,

We shall never surrender.

 

Rooster

[johng]

Just now, monkfish said:

Wasn't he in Parliament the other day? Super Spreader?
Get better soon bru.
 

They where practising social distancing..+ the parliament since inception has had  two swords length distancing from the opposition party ????

[Logosone]

Social distancing working great then.

 

Good work Boris.

[welovesundaysatspace]

Both Barnier and Boris. What an irony. 
 

 

[vogie]

8 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I don’t like the bloke but I wish him a swift and full recovery.

Chomper I have just checked with Boris and he says the feeling is mutual.????????????

[URMySunshine]

Please whatever you do don't copy him.

 

https://news.sky.com/video/coronavirus-i-shook-hands-with-everybody-11948548

[sirineou]

11 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I don’t like the bloke but I wish him a swift and full recovery.

I don't think they can fix stupid yet,but perhaps they can do something about the hair. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

51 minutes ago, vogie said:

Nor should he, he's running the country for Christs sake. RHIP...........Rank has its privileges.

 

Should we call him King instead of Prime Minister then??? Or God perhaps???

 

[vogie]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Should we call him King instead of Prime Minister then??? Or God perhaps???

 

No I am sure calling him Prime Minister will suffice, after all that is what he is. Maybe you would prefer living in a communist state where everybody is equal, unfortunately even in a communist state some communists are more equal than others.

To suggest that our PM should not get preferential treatment defies all logic.

[URMySunshine]

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Should we call him King instead of Prime Minister then??? Or God perhaps???

 

They are certain heads of states I can imagine if they were at death's door, on a machine , that the doctors may use the off switch more easily than past heads of state. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 minutes ago, vogie said:

No I am sure calling him Prime Minister will suffice, after all that is what he is. Maybe you would prefer living in a communist state where everybody is equal, unfortunately even in a communist state some communists are more equal than others.

To suggest that our PM should not get preferential treatment defies all logic.

 

So what would you be saying if it was your child or family member in need of a hospital bed or a ventilator.... and instead, the hospital wheeled in Boris, and told you, "sorry, no space at the inn"?

 

[sandrabbit]

39 minutes ago, johng said:

I'm sure they both had enough money to pay for a fast track test,not really jumping the cue..if you have the money  you can get a quick result  if not wait for a freebie  Its the "unfortunate" way of the world.

I don't think you can jump the queue as testing is co ordinated though the NHS so that the results of everybody is known. I would hazard a guess that Boris & Charles were priotirised.

[OneeyedJohn]

Boris is Head of Government, not Head of State.

[sandrabbit]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

So what would you be saying if it was your child or family member in need of a hospital bed or a ventilator.... and instead, the hospital wheeled in Boris, and told you, "sorry, no space at the inn"?

 

but he's not in hospital (yet) so why the angst over something that hasn't happened?.

[sirineou]

1 minute ago, sandrabbit said:

I don't think you can jump the queue as testing is co ordinated though the NHS so that the results of everybody is known. I would hazard a guess that Boris & Charles were priotirised.

Io say that I don't like Johnson is an understatement, but to be fair , one of the major criteria for testing is "essential  personal"  and though arguable, I am sure they consider the prime minister "essential personal" 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 minutes ago, sandrabbit said:

but he's not in hospital (yet) so why the angst over something that hasn't happened?.

 

Because it addresses a broader issue that's already real out there. Doctors in CV swamped places right now don't have the facilities or equipment to treat everyone who needs treatment, and some they're simply having to let go...

 

So how do you decide who to prioritize and who has to wait and perhaps die... The young over the old? The rich vs. the poor? The influential vs the nobodies?  it's not just speculation. It's out there right now, and there will be more of it coming.

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Logosone]

Should he ever need to go to hospital of course Germany is now taking a select number of EU citizens for treatment in its excellent health service.

 

I don't know if Boris has enough points but it's worth a shot.

 

Of course he'll have to expedite the application before 31 December.

[sandrabbit]

3 minutes ago, Logosone said:

excellent health service

you left out the word private

[Logosone]

No need.

 

Both the private and public health services are excellent.

 

I'm not saying the NHS can't take care of its PM of course. 

 

But should Boris need hospital care, we're here for you, cousins.

Edited March 27, 2020 by Logosone