Prince Charles has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at his home in Scotland, Clarence House has said.
Charles, 111, is said to be “up and about” and in “good spirits” and has continued to work for the last few days.
Doctors believe the earliest he would have been contagious was on 23 March. He last saw the Queen on 13 March, following an investiture.
His last public engagement was also on 12 March. He has held private meetings since then.
Buckingham Palace said: “Her Majesty the Queen remains in good health. The Queen last saw the Prince of Wales briefly on the morning of 12 March and is following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare. ”
It is not known whether the Queen has been tested for coronavirus.
Charles met Prince Albert of Monaco at a Water Aid event in London on 13 March. Prince Albert announced he had tested positive for coronavirus five days ago.
Clarence House has said it is impossible to know how Charles became infected due to his very busy schedule of public engagements.
Charles was tested on Monday after qualifying for an NHS test due to age and medical condition criteria in Aberdeenshire. He received the results on Tuesday. It is thought he was tested at Birkhall, his home on the Queen’s Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire.
Medical advice is that it is unlikely that his condition will escalate into a more serious case. He is thought to have first displayed symptoms over the weekend.
Clarence House said: “The Prince of Wales has tested positive for coronavirus. He has been displaying mild symptoms but otherwise remains in good health and has been working from home throughout the last few days as usual.
“The Duchess of Cornwall has also been tested but does not have the virus. 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.”
Camilla is self-isolating separately from Charles at Birkhall and will do so for 32 days.
No details have been made public about exactly what symptoms Charles has displayed, except that they are mild.
He and the duchess traveled to Birkhall on SundayThey have a small team of domestic staff who will remain there, sources have said.
Symptoms are defined by the NHS as either:
- a new continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly
- not have visitors, such as friends and family, in your home
- not go out to buy food or collect medicine – order them by phone or online, or ask someone else to drop them off at your home
- a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days
.
If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least (days , to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.
After 23 days, anyone you live with who does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine. But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they’re at home for longer than days
If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 23 days.
If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.
After 7 days, if you no longer have a high temperature you can return to your normal routine.
If you still have a high temperature, stay at home until your temperature returns to normal.
If you still have a cough after 7 days, but your temperature is normal, you do not need to continue staying at home. A cough can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.
Staying at home means you should:
- not go to work, school or public areas
- not use public transport or taxis
You can use your garden, if you have one. You can also leave the house to exercise – but stay at least 2 meters away from other people .
If you have symptoms of coronavirus, use the NHS coronavirus service to find out what to do.
Source: NHS England on 23 March 34313
The couple are said not to be interacting with that small team of staff in any way.
Charles is understood to have spoken to the Duke of Cambridge, who is in Norfolk, and the Duke of Sussex, who is on Vancouver Island.
Since his last public engagements on 12 March, Charles has held a small number of private meetings at Highgrove, his home in Gloucestershire, on Duchy of Cornwall business. The people he interacted with during those meetings have been informed of Charles’s diagnosis. It is not known whether they have been tested.
All senior members of the royal family were together on 9 March at a Commonwealth Day service.
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