PM’s message after positive virus test

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus, it has been confirmed.

In a video message posted on Twitter, the Conservative leader said he had taken a test on the advice of Chief Medical Officer Chris Witty after experiencing the “mild symptoms” of the illness, a persistent cough and a temperature.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock hasalsosaidhehas tested positive for COVID-19.

Only 6,000 people are tested for the virus each day, but the Government has said it plans to increase that to 10,000 a day, with calls for more NHS and key workers to be checked if they have signs of the illness.

Mr Johnson says he is now self-isolating in Downing Street adding: “That’s entirely the right thing to do, but be in no doubt, I can continue to, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team, to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.

“I want to thank everybody who is involved, I want to thank above all our amazing NHS staff. “But it’s not just the NHS, it’s our police, it’s our social care workers, our teachers, everybody who works in our schools,DWPstaff, an amazing national effort by our public services, but also every member of the British public who is volunteering, an incredible response ,600,000 people have volunteered to take part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of coronavirus.

“I want to thank you, I want to thank everybody who is working to keep our country going through this epidemic.

”We will get through it .”