Australia’s home affairs minister tests positive for COVID-19

SYDNEY: Australia’s home affairs minister Peter Dutton said he tested positive for coronavirus on Friday (Mar 13).

“This morning I woke up with a temperature and sore throat. I immediately contacted the Queensland Department of Health and was subsequently tested for COVID-19. I was advised by Queensland Health this afternoon that the test had returned positive,” he said in a statement issued by his office.

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“It is the policy of Queensland Health that anyone who tests positive is to be admitted into hospital and I have complied with their advice … I feel fine and will provide an update in due course.”

Australia has recorded 156 infections and three deaths from the flu-like disease but authorities expect this to increase rapidly in the coming weeks with the arrival of the southern hemisphere winter.

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