Following an official visit to the United States, Australia’s deputy prime minister tested positive for coronavirus.
Barnaby Joyce believes he was infected while visiting the United Kingdom earlier this week, the officials said on Saturday.
He stated that he was currently in isolation and that he was suffering from minor flu-like symptoms.
Because they had contact with Mr Joyce, UK Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps have also isolated themselves.
Both British ministers have stated that they are undergoing Covid tests.
Mr Joyce may have constituted a transmission danger, but it’s unknown. So yet, no additional members of the Australian delegation have tested positive.
Mr Joyce said he had returned negative tests before leaving the UK, but that he felt tired and had discomfort in his legs when he arrived in the United States.
He announced that he would be isolated for at least ten days and that he had cancelled contacts with US authorities.
He told Australian news outlets that he went Christmas shopping in London and that “people [were] simply lined up, shoulder to shoulder.”
Mr Joyce is Australia’s highest-ranking politician to contract the illness. Last year, during a trip to the United States, Defence Minister Peter Dutton became infected.
Mr Joyce, a well-known outspoken lawmaker, is most known for threatening to euthanize Johnny Depp’s dogs over a quarantine dispute.
After regaining leadership of the National Party, Scott Morrison’s conservative coalition’s junior partner, he began his second term as deputy prime minister in June.
He resigned in 2018 after facing public pressure over an extramarital romance with a staffer and an associated sexual harassment claim.
Since his return, he has exerted pressure on colleagues to keep support for the coal industry, and he has spoken out against tightening Australia’s carbon targets.
He has also chastised state administrations for enacting draconian coronavirus limitations.
