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Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has been diagnosed with coronavirus, just
days after he met with Ivanka Trump and multiple high-ranking officials
in the US.
Mr Dutton released a statement this afternoon announcing he tested positive for the illness.
“This morning I woke up with a temperature and sore throat,” he said in a statement.
“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.
“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.”
Mr Dutton said he feels “fine” and will provide an update soon.
The Home Affairs Minister recently returned from Washington DC where he met with his “Five Eyes” counterparts, an intelligence alliance comprising of Australia, the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand.
A picture uploaded to Twitter shows Mr Dutton smiling next to Ivanka and US Attorney-General William Barr, along with other members of the Five Eyes.
He was in the US to finalise a deal with the White House to give Australian law enforcement better access to data held by US companies.
Several US politicians have quarantined themselves in recent days after coming in contact with COVID-19 patients.
The Brazilian president’s communications director tested positive just days after meeting with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Despite that, Trump has no immediate plans to be tested or self-quarantine, the White House said.
Mr Dutton returned from the US last weekend and on Monday opened a campus of Southern Cross University at Moreton Bay.
Mr Dutton also attended a cabinet meeting with Mr Morrison and a number of key ministers in Sydney on Tuesday.
Despite this, the Prime Minister’s Office has announced that Scott Morrison or any other members of the Cabinets will need to self-isolate.
“The Minister attended Tuesday’s meeting of the Federal Cabinet in person and Thursday’s meeting of the National Security Committee via video link,” the statement said.
In advice provided to the Prime Minister this evening, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer has reiterated that only people who had close contact with the Minister in the preceding 24 hours before he became symptomatic need to self-isolate.
“That does not include the Prime Minister or any other members of the Cabinet.”
Mr Dutton missed his regular weekly spot on Nine’s Today show this morning, with host Allison Langdon announcing he was sick with a “stomach bug”.
Earlier Scott Morrison announced that parliament would go ahead as planned after cautioning against mass gatherings from Monday.
“I would consider Parliament essential, and it certainly will be when it resumes at the federal level, because we will be passing the many measures that relate to the economic stimulus package, as well as the health response that we have articulated this week,” Mr Morrison told reporters this afternoon.
“I think there will be issues to work through between now and then regarding public galleries and things of that nature. That’s just commonsense planning, and that will be done, as I’d imagine many venues will do the same thing.”
“This morning I woke up with a temperature and sore throat,” he said in a statement.
“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.
“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.”
Mr Dutton said he feels “fine” and will provide an update soon.
The Home Affairs Minister recently returned from Washington DC where he met with his “Five Eyes” counterparts, an intelligence alliance comprising of Australia, the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand.
A picture uploaded to Twitter shows Mr Dutton smiling next to Ivanka and US Attorney-General William Barr, along with other members of the Five Eyes.
He was in the US to finalise a deal with the White House to give Australian law enforcement better access to data held by US companies.
Several US politicians have quarantined themselves in recent days after coming in contact with COVID-19 patients.
The Brazilian president’s communications director tested positive just days after meeting with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Despite that, Trump has no immediate plans to be tested or self-quarantine, the White House said.
Mr Dutton returned from the US last weekend and on Monday opened a campus of Southern Cross University at Moreton Bay.
Mr Dutton also attended a cabinet meeting with Mr Morrison and a number of key ministers in Sydney on Tuesday.
Despite this, the Prime Minister’s Office has announced that Scott Morrison or any other members of the Cabinets will need to self-isolate.
“The Minister attended Tuesday’s meeting of the Federal Cabinet in person and Thursday’s meeting of the National Security Committee via video link,” the statement said.
In advice provided to the Prime Minister this evening, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer has reiterated that only people who had close contact with the Minister in the preceding 24 hours before he became symptomatic need to self-isolate.
“That does not include the Prime Minister or any other members of the Cabinet.”
Mr Dutton missed his regular weekly spot on Nine’s Today show this morning, with host Allison Langdon announcing he was sick with a “stomach bug”.
Earlier Scott Morrison announced that parliament would go ahead as planned after cautioning against mass gatherings from Monday.
“I would consider Parliament essential, and it certainly will be when it resumes at the federal level, because we will be passing the many measures that relate to the economic stimulus package, as well as the health response that we have articulated this week,” Mr Morrison told reporters this afternoon.
“I think there will be issues to work through between now and then regarding public galleries and things of that nature. That’s just commonsense planning, and that will be done, as I’d imagine many venues will do the same thing.”
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