Scott Morrison Has Tested Positive For COVID-19
He tested positive after a day of meetings with senior government officials.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating in his Sydney home.
Morrison confirmed he had tested positive to COVID-19 in a statement last night, noting that he did a PCR test after developing a fever earlier in the evening on Tuesday.
“Tonight I tested positive to COVID-19. I am experiencing flu-like symptoms and will be recovering over the next week,” said Morrison in a statement posted to Twitter. “I had tested myself daily since Sunday, including this morning, with all tests returning a negative result.”
Tonight I tested positive to COVID-19.
I am experiencing flu-like symptoms and will be recovering over the next week.
I had tested myself daily since Sunday, including this morning, with all tests returning a negative result.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) March 1, 2022
“I took a further test this evening after developing a fever late today,” he added. “The test was inconclusive, so I took a PCR test tonight, which returned a positive result late this evening.”
Morrison noted that his wife — Jenny — and two daughters have not tested positive, but are isolating as close contacts, presumably at Kirribilli House. He will continue his duties as Prime Minister while in isolation, but will — obviously — not be indulging in his usual pre-election photo ops until he completes his 7-day stint.
The timing of his diagnosis is particularly dire considering we’re in the midst of major flooding across much of the east coast of Australia, war in Ukraine and the process of finalising the Federal Budget — due out later this month.
I will also be focused on our urgent response to the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine and Russia’s senseless aggression, staying in regular contact with our security and intelligence officials & our international partners, as well as working with the Treasurer to finalise the Budget.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) March 1, 2022
His diagnosis comes after Morrison attended a meeting with the National Security Committee (NSC) on Tuesday, alongside a number of senior ministers. Due to current close contact rules, the ministers will not have to isolate for seven days.
Morrison shook hands with Nauru President Lionel Aingimea at the meeting, sharing a photo on Twitter earlier on Tuesday. It is unclear if Aingimea has taken a COVID test.
Lovely to meet my good friend President Lionel Aingimea in Sydney today to reinforce strong Australia-Nauru ties, resilient infrastructure, Pacific Islands Forum unity and Ukraine’s sovereignty. The Pacific family is stronger together. pic.twitter.com/pp8GfYvhFA
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) March 1, 2022
Defence Minister Peter Dutton — who attended the meeting with Morrison on Tuesday — has since taken a rapid antigen test and received a negative result.
“He’s OK. Just suffering a very mild dose, and he’s back up today,” Dutton told Today. “We have some video meetings today on the National Security Committee, meeting again on the floods. We also have an Expenditure Review Committee meeting today with the budget coming up.
“So I think he’s just going to work from home, but feels pretty good within himself and hopefully back on deck ASAP.”
No other ministers have announced positive COVID-19 results following Morrison’s diagnosis.