New Delhi: The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, has tested positive for coronavirus, Clarence House announced Wednesday.
A Clarence House spokesperson said Charles displayed mild symptoms of the disease before testing positive. He remained in good health. The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles’ wife Camilla, has tested negative.
Clarence House is the official London residence of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.
The statement by Clarence House noted, “In accordance with Government and medical advice, the Prince and the Duchess are now self-isolating at home in Scotland. The tests were carried out by the NHS in Aberdeenshire where they met the criteria required for testing. It is not possible to ascertain from whom the Prince caught the virus owing to the high number of engagements he carried out in his public role during recent weeks.”
The United Kingdom has reported more than 8,000 cases due to the coronavirus pandemic with more than 400 deaths.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the country Tuesday from his residence, 10 Downing Street, and called for a lockdown in the UK to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
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Starting Tuesday morning, all non-essential public places and buildings were shut, and all social events put to a halt. Citizens were told to stay home and only step out for trips to buy food or medicine, or to exercise once a day.
British actor Idris Elba also tested positive for coronavirus, despite being asymptomatic. Among the list of celebrities who have tested positive for the virus are actor Tom Hanks, basketball player Kevin Durant as well as James Bond star Olga Kurylenko.
The coronavirus pandemic which has now affected more than 190 countries, first started in Wuhan in China’s Hubei Province in December 2019. Since then, more than 4.3 lakh people have been infected by the virus and over 19,000 deaths reported. Due to the highly contagious nature of the virus, countries have been put under lockdown with people practicing social distancing and self-isolation to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
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