Coronavirus: British PM Boris Johnson, health minister Hancock test positive for COVID-19

London: British PM Boris Johnson tests positive for COVID-19, an official has announced.

"Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus," British PM said in a video tweet. 

"I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus.," he added. 

In a video message, Johnson said he had a temperature and a persistent cough.

"Be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team, to lead the national fightback against coronavirus," he said.

Johnson is the latest high profile individual to contract the virus and comes after Prince Charles, the heir to the U.K. throne, also tested positive.

Johnson was assessed by National Health Service staff on the advice of the chief medical officer Chris Whitty.

UK health minister Hancock tests positive 

British health minister Matt Hancock said on Twitter on Friday he has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at home with mild symptoms.

Less than two hours earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he too had tested positive for the virus.

Just the previous day, Britain had recorded more than 100 coronavirus deaths in a 24-hour period for the first time on Thursday, with 115 people who tested positive for the virus dying.