Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NOBODY’S SAFE
PM, Health Secretary & medical chief all fall victim to killer disease Deaths in UK soar by 181... as Mirror calls for medals for NHS heroes
BORIS Johnson has coronavirus, he confirmed yesterday.
The PM said he was self-isolating in Downing Street away from pregnant partner Carrie Symonds.
But he pledged to keep working to “lead the national fightback”, as the UK death toll hit 759 and the Mirror called for medics to get medals. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has also tested positive while medical chief Prof Chris Whitty has symptoms. Michael Gove said it was “a reminder that the virus does not discriminate”.
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have tested positive for coronavirus as Covid-19 hit the heart of Government yesterday.
Both are self-isolating after it was confirmed they had contracted the deadly disease.
The top official dealing with the crisis, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty, is also in self-isolation after displaying symptoms.
Amid concerns other high-ranking politicians may have been exposed to the illness, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said it was “a reminder the virus does not discriminate”.
Mr Johnson, 55, earlier posted a video confirming his shock diagnosis.
Revealing he had “a temperature and a persistent cough” he vowed to continue leading the pandemic response from his Downing Street flat.
Dressed in a dark blue suit, pale blue shirt and red spotty tie, the PM said: “I’ve developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. I am working from home, I’m self-isolating.
“But be in no doubt I can continue to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.”
His pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds, 32, is thought to be selfisolating at their South London home, with their Jack Russell-cross, Dilyn.
The revelations came as the UK death toll soared by 181 to 759, up from 578 just 24 hours earlier.
Three of the additional fatalities were in Northern Ireland, where the total is now 13. Confirmed cases are up 34 to 275.
Last night it was revealed Northern Ireland has joined forces with the Republic to place a “significant order” with China for personal protective equipment (PPE). An Aer Lingus plane will leave Dublin for China on Saturday to bring back the first load of the huge consignment.
At yesterday’s Stormont press briefing on the coronavirus crisis, Finance Minister Conor Murphy said the joint effort to source the in-demand equipment for healthcare workers would satisfy supply needs in Northern Ireland.
He said Northern Ireland will also receive additional supplies from the rest of the UK.
Mr Murphy added: “This is a joint effort with the Dublin Government, the order has been placed, so I can’t give certainty in terms of the flights, but we obviously want to get it here
as quickly as possible. We also want to ensure that where we have supplies of PPE that that gets to frontline workers as quickly as they need it and that we give them certainty that if and when that is used, then we have a sufficient back-up supply coming.”
Medics dealing with the crisis continued to raise concerns about the standard and supply of PPE in Northern Ireland. Stormont Deputy First Minister Michelle O’neill said the current situation was “not good enough”.
She added: “Even today we’re hearing reports of by people in the front line not having access to PPE.
“That’s not good enough and that needs to be resolved and needs to be resolved now and we will make sure we do everything we can to make sure that that is the case.”
Health Minister Robin Swann said “concrete action” was being taken over the region’s stocks.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has called on the public to “buy responsibly” as the coronavirus pandemic heaps pressure on the agri-food sector. He said: “There is