Barnaby Joyce, Australia’s deputy PM, tests positive for Covid while visiting US

CANBERRA: DEC. 9 – Australia’s deputy prime minister has tested positive for coronavirus after arriving in the US on an official visit.

Barnaby Joyce said he believed he had been infected while visiting the UK earlier this week. He said he was now in isolation and experiencing mild flu-like symptoms.

Mr Joyce met with UK cabinet ministers including Dominic Raab and Grant Shapps while in London, before travelling to Washington DC on Wednesday.

It is unclear what transmission risk he posed. No other members of the Australian government delegation have tested positive so far. Mr Joyce said he had returned negative tests before leaving the UK, but upon arrival in the US, he felt some fatigue and pain in his legs.

He said he would isolate for at least 10 days and had cancelled meetings with US officials. He told Australian media he had been Christmas shopping in London where “people [were] just lined up, shoulder to shoulder”.

-Agency