Business Secretary Alok Sharma Tests Negative For Coronavirus

Alok Sharma

Coronavirus has changed everything. Make sense of it all with the Waugh Zone, our evening politics briefing. Sign up now.

Business secretary Alok Sharma has tested negative for coronavirus.

He had returned home to self-isolate on Wednesday after beginning to feel unwell in the House of Commons chamber.

He was seen wiping his face with a handkerchief several times and his opposite number in Labour’s shadow cabinet, Ed Miliband, passed him a glass of water at one point.

On Thursday, Sharma thanked well-wishers for their support after revealing the negative test result.

He tweeted: “Huge thanks to everyone for their really kind messages over the last 24 hours and my grateful thanks also to the parliamentary authorities and Speaker for their support yesterday. Just had results in and my test for #Covidー19 was negative.”

His spokesperson said: “Business secretary Alok Sharma has received a negative result after being tested for coronavirus yesterday.

“Mr Sharma would like to thank the parliamentary authorities and Speaker and also for the kind words from parliamentary colleagues and others who have expressed their well wishes over the last 24 hours.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.